Numerous Americans are disinterested in having children, and it's not solely due to financial reasons.

Nina Job, who grew up in rural Michigan, became accustomed to the traditional path of life in her community, which involved going to college, getting married, having 2.5 children, and building a happy home with a white picket fence.

Meeting single people much older than what she was used to ever seeing back home who were happy surprised her when she moved to New York at 20.

The diverse family setups she encountered while living in different homes broadened her perspective on various lifestyles, according to the 36-year-old.

The declining fertility rate in the U.S. has led to an increase in the number of Americans choosing to live a child-free life.

To sustain the population and maintain a strong economy, societies must aim for a fertility rate of approximately 2.1 births per woman. Fewer births can lead to a smaller workforce, fewer taxpayers, and ultimately, a shrinking economy.

The decline in certain demographics has caused concern among economists, politicians, and public figures, with some framing it as a reflection of moral decay. The pope labeled not wanting kids as a form of selfishness in 2022.

While the reasons for Americans not wanting to become parents may seem straightforward, they are actually more complex. Although becoming a parent can be costly, it is not the primary reason for remaining child-free. Many individuals have more choices and can find happiness in other areas of their lives.

"Job says, "I was raised with the belief that success looks like a traditional family setup. Seeing it work in 1,000 different ways here made me realize I could have that too.""

Parenthood in the U.S. is expensive ...

A 2023 Pew Research survey found that just over half of adults aged 18 to 34 without children expressed interest in having them. While the responses did not break down evenly by gender, 57% of men said they wanted kids, compared to 45% of women.

The narrative that babies are too expensive for those who want children but put off or forgo parenthood is prevalent. A 2023 Vogue article posited that babies have become a luxury item.

The cost of raising a child in the U.S. is significantly higher than in many other countries, with limited government support available to families. According to a recent report by NPR's Planet Money, the United States spends less per child as a percentage of their GDP than almost 40 other countries in the OECD, including Turkey, which is the only country to spend less.

In contrast to other wealthy countries, the U.S. does not require any paid parental leave, with only a quarter of American workers, regardless of gender, having access to it, as stated by Planet Money.

The cost of raising a child in the U.S. has increased significantly in recent years. According to a KPMG analysis, day care and preschool prices have increased by about 263% between 1991 and 2024. Additionally, a Northwestern Mutual analysis estimates that the total cost to raise a child from birth to age 18 in 2023 is over $330,000.

According to Pew, only 36% of childless adults under age 50 and 12% of adults over 50 without kids say affordability was a deciding factor in not having children.

While money isn't the primary reason, Americans are still hesitant to have kids.

Pew research reveals that among those under 50 who say they're unlikely to ever have children, 57% cite not wanting children as the reason, while 44% say they want to focus on other things and 38% express concerns about the world.

Among older adults without children, 31% never wanted to have them, according to Pew.

Advances in contraception and reproductive technologies have allowed more people who don't want to become parents to avoid it, resulting in a 15% decline in unintended pregnancies in the U.S. between 2010 and 2019, contributing to the declining birth rate.

The percentage of adults under age 50 who never intend to have children increased from 37% in 2018 to 47% in 2023, according to a Pew study.

The reason why younger Americans are not as eager to have kids as their parents were is because the responsibilities and expectations of parenthood have evolved.

We prefer not to be constantly monitoring children around the clock.

Callie Freitag, a 33-year-old public policy researcher, demographer, and assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, has decided not to have children because neither she nor her partner feel interested in being responsible for the care and feeding of small children, as she shared with CNBC Make It.

She says that she and her partner would rather allocate their time, energy, and resources in different ways. While they enjoy being aunt and uncle, they prefer not to be constantly supervising children.

Building a career, traveling, and engaging with the community are her goals. She recognizes that these can be prioritized with kids, but having children adds layers of complications.

She notes that having children is costly, time-consuming, and exhausting, particularly in a country that does not prioritize affordable child care or paid family leave.

Over the past few decades, the parenting culture has evolved as millennials and Gen Zers formed their views on what parenthood should entail. As a result, many people's mindsets have shifted accordingly.

No one desires to be a bad parent: There's a sense of unease.

Cultural historian and professor at University of California, Berkeley, Paula Fass, shares with CNBC Make It that the stakes are high and the fear of making mistakes is real.

Fass believes that there is a general anxiety among the younger generation about child rearing and parenting, which is causing them to question whether it's worth having children with the many responsibilities that come with parenthood.

In 2012, mothers spent an average of 104 minutes a day with their children, which is roughly twice as much time as mothers in 1965, who spent an average of 54 minutes per day with their kids, according to a 2016 study.

In 2012, fathers spent an average of 59 minutes per day on child-care duties, which is four times more than in 1965 when they spent an average of 16 minutes.

The pressure to always be available as a parent can be overwhelming for adults who want to have children while also maintaining their careers, hobbies, or other interests. This can lead to a feeling that potential parents must sacrifice their own lives and personalities in order to become parents.

'You go online and there are 10 to 15 different perspectives'

Obtaining safe and trusted advice while parenting has become more challenging, despite the increased time and financial resources required.

In the past, Americans relied on Dr. Spock as their go-to expert for parenting advice. Now, there is a sense of uncertainty without a clear solution, according to Fass.

"There are numerous opinions online regarding how to handle a specific parenting issue, and not only do these opinions differ, but they often involve criticizing the way others approach the matter."

Parents may feel pressured to provide their children with a childhood that will set them on a successful path. This may involve adopting gentle parenting methods, enrolling them in specialized schools, providing elite sports training, and investing in state-of-the-art technology, among other things.

Brianna, a 29-year-old living in Connecticut, had always known she didn't want to be a parent and decided to undergo sterilization surgery last year. Her identity has been kept confidential due to privacy concerns.

She has always wanted it since she knew it existed.

Brianna says that it took years of documenting with her doctor before she was able to proceed with the procedure, but when the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe vs. Wade came down and abortion restrictions went into effect throughout the country, her doctor became more willing.

Brianna's decision not to become a mom was solidified when she adopted a dog four years ago. She realized that the stress of ensuring her pet's well-being was not something she wanted a child to have to deal with.

"She admits to being very neurotic about her, and she acknowledges that she would likely be even more neurotic if she had a human child."

Policy can only go so far to encourage reproduction

The decline in birth rates isn't limited to the U.S. Many countries worldwide, including South Korea, have experienced or are still experiencing a fall in their fertility rates.

Numerous governments have implemented measures to motivate their residents to have more children. South Korea has raised a monthly stipend for families with newborns during their first year. Taiwan has introduced a cash reward and tax reduction for parents, in addition to increasing its paid family leave compensation.

Despite having strong family support policies, some countries, including Norway, are still experiencing a decline in birth rates.

According to Jessica Grose's essay in the New York Times, titled "Stop panicking about the birthrate," societies tend to have fewer births and longer life expectancies when both incomes and quality of life improve, as demographer Jennifer Sciubba notes.

"Moreover, a more educated population tends to delay parenthood and have fewer children, both for men and women, according to Grose." "It's difficult to dispute that increased education and longer lifespans are positive for humanity."

The debate on whether policy action is necessary regarding the falling birthrates is ongoing. According to demographer Leslie Root in the Washington Post, the U.S. population has still grown despite sub-replacement fertility rates over nearly four decades.

The decision to have children is a highly personal one for individuals, and while some Americans may choose not to have children, they may still be pro-family or pro-child in general.

"Job wants to assist people with their kids during challenging times."

"Given the immense effort required to raise children at a young age, I thought, 'This is quite a lot,' and eventually, you must make a decision. While you can attain anything you desire, you cannot have everything you desire."

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