Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling in Canada
Canada: Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling was 1.34 live births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling in Canada, 1921–2024
Source: Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in live births per woman.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility rate vs. average years of schooling in Canada is 1.34 live births per woman, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 104 years on record.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 16.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate vs. average years of schooling in Canada peaked at 3.85 live births per woman in 1959 and was at its lowest, 1.34 live births per woman, in 2024.
Canada ranks 204th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 104 years of available data.
Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling in Canada, year by year
| Year | live births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 3.53 live births per woman | — |
| 1922 | 3.4 live births per woman | -3.6% |
| 1923 | 3.23 live births per woman | -5.0% |
| 1924 | 3.22 live births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1925 | 3.13 live births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1926 | 3.35 live births per woman | +7.1% |
| 1927 | 3.32 live births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1928 | 3.29 live births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1929 | 3.22 live births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1930 | 3.28 live births per woman | +2.0% |
| 1931 | 3.19 live births per woman | -2.7% |
| 1932 | 3.08 live births per woman | -3.5% |
| 1933 | 2.86 live births per woman | -7.1% |
| 1934 | 2.8 live births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1935 | 2.75 live births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1936 | 2.69 live births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1937 | 2.64 live births per woman | -2.0% |
| 1938 | 2.7 live births per woman | +2.2% |
| 1939 | 2.65 live births per woman | -1.8% |
| 1940 | 2.76 live births per woman | +4.2% |
| 1941 | 2.82 live births per woman | +2.2% |
| 1942 | 2.95 live births per woman | +4.8% |
| 1943 | 3.03 live births per woman | +2.5% |
| 1944 | 3 live births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1945 | 3 live births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 3.36 live births per woman | +12.0% |
| 1947 | 3.58 live births per woman | +6.6% |
| 1948 | 3.42 live births per woman | -4.4% |
| 1949 | 3.44 live births per woman | +0.6% |
| 1950 | 3.37 live births per woman | -1.9% |
| 1951 | 3.42 live births per woman | +1.4% |
| 1952 | 3.56 live births per woman | +4.0% |
| 1953 | 3.64 live births per woman | +2.2% |
| 1954 | 3.74 live births per woman | +2.9% |
| 1955 | 3.75 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1956 | 3.77 live births per woman | +0.7% |
| 1957 | 3.85 live births per woman | +2.0% |
| 1958 | 3.81 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1959 | 3.85 live births per woman | +1.1% |
| 1960 | 3.82 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1961 | 3.76 live births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1962 | 3.68 live births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1963 | 3.59 live births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1964 | 3.42 live births per woman | -4.6% |
| 1965 | 3.08 live births per woman | -10.2% |
| 1966 | 2.75 live births per woman | -10.5% |
| 1967 | 2.54 live births per woman | -7.7% |
| 1968 | 2.41 live births per woman | -5.2% |
| 1969 | 2.36 live births per woman | -2.2% |
| 1970 | 2.27 live births per woman | -3.8% |
| 1971 | 2.1 live births per woman | -7.3% |
| 1972 | 1.94 live births per woman | -7.8% |
| 1973 | 1.85 live births per woman | -4.5% |
| 1974 | 1.81 live births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1975 | 1.8 live births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 1.75 live births per woman | -2.5% |
| 1977 | 1.73 live births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1978 | 1.68 live births per woman | -2.6% |
| 1979 | 1.67 live births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 1.66 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 1.63 live births per woman | -1.6% |
| 1982 | 1.62 live births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 1.61 live births per woman | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 1.61 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 1.59 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 1.58 live births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 1.56 live births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 1.59 live births per woman | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 1.64 live births per woman | +3.5% |
| 1990 | 1.7 live births per woman | +3.2% |
| 1991 | 1.72 live births per woman | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 1.72 live births per woman | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 1.69 live births per woman | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 1.69 live births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.67 live births per woman | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 1.63 live births per woman | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 1.57 live births per woman | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 1.55 live births per woman | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 1.54 live births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 1.51 live births per woman | -2.0% |
| 2001 | 1.53 live births per woman | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 1.51 live births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 1.53 live births per woman | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 1.54 live births per woman | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 1.57 live births per woman | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 1.61 live births per woman | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 1.66 live births per woman | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 1.68 live births per woman | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 1.68 live births per woman | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 1.64 live births per woman | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 1.63 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 1.63 live births per woman | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.61 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 1.61 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 1.6 live births per woman | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 1.59 live births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 1.55 live births per woman | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 1.51 live births per woman | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 1.48 live births per woman | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 1.41 live births per woman | -4.3% |
| 2021 | 1.43 live births per woman | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 1.37 live births per woman | -4.5% |
| 2023 | 1.35 live births per woman | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 1.34 live births per woman | -0.4% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 1.34 live births per woman is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.51 live births per woman, 89% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 3.3 live births per woman | 3.13 live births per woman | 3.53 live births per woman | 9 |
| 1930s | 2.86 live births per woman | 2.64 live births per woman | 3.28 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1940s | 3.14 live births per woman | 2.76 live births per woman | 3.58 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1950s | 3.68 live births per woman | 3.37 live births per woman | 3.85 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.14 live births per woman | 2.36 live births per woman | 3.82 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.86 live births per woman | 1.67 live births per woman | 2.27 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.61 live births per woman | 1.56 live births per woman | 1.66 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.65 live births per woman | 1.54 live births per woman | 1.72 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.58 live births per woman | 1.51 live births per woman | 1.68 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.58 live births per woman | 1.48 live births per woman | 1.64 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.38 live births per woman | 1.34 live births per woman | 1.43 live births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More education data for Canada
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 133,275 (1996)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2011)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 291,075 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 273,465 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.70 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0607 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate vs. average years of schooling in Canada?
- Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling in Canada was 1.34 live births per woman in 2024, according to Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate vs. average years of schooling recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 3.85 live births per woman in 1959.
- What is the lowest fertility rate vs. average years of schooling recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.34 live births per woman in 2024.
- How does Canada rank for fertility rate vs. average years of schooling?
- Canada ranks 204th out of 236 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate vs. average years of schooling rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Human Fertility Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average number of live births a hypothetical cohort of women would have at the end of their reproductive period if they were subject during their whole lives to the fertility rates of a given period and if they were not subject to mortality.