In 2025, fewer children were born in Germany than at any time in nearly 80 years. According to preliminary results from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), around 654,300 children were born — 3.4 percent fewer than in 2024. This means that the number of births has fallen for the fourth year in a row, reaching its lowest level since 1946.
More Deaths Than Births
The development is particularly clear in the so-called birth deficit: In 2025, around 352,000 more people died in Germany than were born. According to Destatis, this is the highest figure since the Second World War. The Federal Statistical Office cites several reasons for the low number of births, including the smaller cohorts born in the 1990s, who are now at a typical age for starting a family, as well as the decline in birth rates since 2022.
All Registered Births Are Counted
The statistics are based on reports from civil registry offices. They include all births registered in Germany — regardless of whether the parents have their own migration experience, a migration background or foreign citizenship. The final detailed results for 2025 are expected in July 2026.
Differences Between the Federal States
The decline was stronger in eastern Germany, at minus 4.5 percent, than in western Germany, at minus 3.2 percent. According to the preliminary results, Hamburg was the only federal state with a slight increase of 0.5 percent. In Baden-Württemberg, around 94,100 children were born in 2025; at the same time, around 117,500 people died. This means that even immigration could not offset the birth deficit in the state. Other EU countries, such as France, Austria, Italy and Sweden, also reported declining birth numbers for 2025.
Further information:
https://www.destatis.de/DE/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/2026/04/PD26_146_126.html
https://www.statistik-bw.de/presse/pressemitteilungen/pressemitteilung/bevoelkerung-in-baden-wuerttemberg-2025-ruecklaeufig/
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