States having the most babies

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September 14, 2018
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States having the most babies

In 2016, 3,945,875 babies were born in the United States. While that might sound like a lot, U.S. births are actually at a 30-year low. In fact, the birth rate has dropped for nearly every group of women of reproductive age to a low not seen since 1987.

Using 2016 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Community Survey (ACS), and the Social Security Administration, Stacker ranked the states having the most babies in order of least to most. Since state populations vary, the list is ranked according to the number of babies born in each state per 100,000 people of the total state population. The list, which includes Washington, D.C., also reveals the number of mothers who gave birth that year as well as state's most popular baby names in 2016.

It's important to note that the CDC counted the number of births from women ages 15–44, while ACS counted all women ages 15–50 who gave birth. Due to the five-year discrepancy, several states document more mothers than babies.

RELATED: Best and worst states to have a baby

#51. New Hampshire

Estimated state population: 1,334,795

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 14,773

Number of babies born in 2016: 12,267

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 919

 

Most popular female baby name: Charlotte

Most popular male baby name: Noah

#50. Vermont

Estimated state population: 624,594

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 5,961

Number of babies born in 2016: 5,756

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 922

 

Most popular female baby name: Harper

Most popular male baby name: Owen

#49. Maine

Estimated state population: 1,331,479

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 13,554

Number of babies born in 2016: 12,705

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 954

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#48. Connecticut

Estimated state population: 3,576,452

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 37,545

Number of babies born in 2016: 36,015

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,007

 

Most popular female baby name: Olivia

Most popular male baby name: Noah

#47. Rhode Island

Estimated state population: 1,056,426

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 11,615

Number of babies born in 2016: 10,798

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,022

 

Most popular female baby name: Olivia

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#46. West Virginia

Estimated state population: 1,831,102

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 19,174

Number of babies born in 2016: 19,079

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,042

 

Most popular female baby name: Harper

Most popular male baby name: Mason

#45. Massachusetts

Estimated state population: 6,811,779

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 74,631

Number of babies born in 2016: 71,317

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,047

 

Most popular female baby name: Olivia

Most popular male baby name: Benjamin

#44. Pennsylvania

Estimated state population: 12,784,227

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 147,204

Number of babies born in 2016: 139,409

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,090

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#43. Florida

Estimated state population: 20,612,439

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 216,349

Number of babies born in 2016: 225,022

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,092

 

Most popular female baby name: Isabella

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#42. Oregon

Estimated state population: 4,093,465

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 45,441

Number of babies born in 2016: 45,535

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,112

 

Most popular female baby name: Olivia

Most popular male baby name: Oliver

#41. Michigan

Estimated state population: 9,928,300

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 119,371

Number of babies born in 2016: 113,315

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,141

 

Most popular female baby name: Ava

Most popular male baby name: Noah

#40. New Jersey

Estimated state population: 8,944,469

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 103,847

Number of babies born in 2016: 102,647

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,148

 

Most popular female baby name: Mia

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#39. Wisconsin

Estimated state population: 5,778,708

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 67,581

Number of babies born in 2016: 66,615

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,153

 

Most popular female baby name: Olivia

Most popular male baby name: Oliver

#38. Delaware

Estimated state population: 952,065

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 11,136

Number of babies born in 2016: 10,992

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,155

 

Most popular female baby name: Olivia

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#37. South Carolina

Estimated state population: 4,961,119

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 59,397

Number of babies born in 2016: 57,342

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,156

 

Most popular female baby name: Ava

Most popular male baby name: William

#36. Montana

Estimated state population: 1,042,520

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 11,585

Number of babies born in 2016: 12,282

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,178

 

Most popular female baby name: Harper

Most popular male baby name: James

#34 (tie). New York

Estimated state population: 19,745,289

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 230,560

Number of babies born in 2016: 234,283

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,187

 

Most popular female baby name: Olivia

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#34 (tie). New Mexico

Estimated state population: 2,081,015

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 26,395

Number of babies born in 2016: 24,692

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,187

 

Most popular female baby name: Mia

Most popular male baby name: Elijah

#33. Ohio

Estimated state population: 11,614,373

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 141,349

Number of babies born in 2016: 138,085

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,189

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#32. North Carolina

Estimated state population: 10,146,788

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 123,050

Number of babies born in 2016: 120,779

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,190

 

Most popular female baby name: Ava

Most popular male baby name: William

#31. Colorado

Estimated state population: 5,540,545

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 68,806

Number of babies born in 2016: 66,613

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,202

 

Most popular female baby name: Olivia

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#30. Illinois

Estimated state population: 12,801,539

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 157,783

Number of babies born in 2016: 154,445

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,206

 

Most popular female baby name: Olivia

Most popular male baby name: Noah

#29. Tennessee

Estimated state population: 6,651,194

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 81,912

Number of babies born in 2016: 80,807

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,215

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: William

#28 (tie). Maryland

Estimated state population: 6,016,447

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 74,732

Number of babies born in 2016: 73,136

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,216

 

Most popular female baby name: Ava

Most popular male baby name: Noah

#27 (tie). Alabama

Estimated state population: 4,863,300

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 59,424

Number of babies born in 2016: 59,151

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,216

 

Most popular female baby name: Ava

Most popular male baby name: William

#26. Virginia

Estimated state population: 8,411,808

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 106,850

Number of babies born in 2016: 102,460

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,218

 

Most popular female baby name: Olivia

Most popular male baby name: William

#25. Arizona

Estimated state population: 6,931,071

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 84,496

Number of babies born in 2016: 84,520

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,219

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: Noah

#24. Missouri

Estimated state population: 6,093,000

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 76,475

Number of babies born in 2016: 74,705

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,226

 

Most popular female baby name: Olivia

Most popular male baby name: William

#23. Nevada

Estimated state population: 2,940,058

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 35,200

Number of babies born in 2016: 36,260

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,233

 

Most popular female baby name: Mia

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#22. Washington

Estimated state population: 7,288,000

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 89,634

Number of babies born in 2016: 90,505

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,242

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#21. California

Estimated state population: 39,250,017

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 486,456

Number of babies born in 2016: 488,827

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,245

 

Most popular female baby name: Mia

Most popular male baby name: Noah

#20. Kentucky

Estimated state population: 4,436,974

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 55,667

Number of babies born in 2016: 55,449

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,250

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: William

#19. Indiana

Estimated state population: 6,633,053

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 85,814

Number of babies born in 2016: 83,091

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,253

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#18. Iowa

Estimated state population: 3,134,693

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 41,109

Number of babies born in 2016: 39,403

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,257

 

Most popular female baby name: Olivia

Most popular male baby name: Oliver

#16 (tie). Georgia

Estimated state population: 10,310,371

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 139,714

Number of babies born in 2016: 130,042

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,261

 

Most popular female baby name: Ava

Most popular male baby name: William

#16 (tie). Wyoming

Estimated state population: 585,501

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 7,687

Number of babies born in 2016: 7,386

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,261

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: Wyatt

#14 (tie). Minnesota

Estimated state population: 5,519,952

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 73,145

Number of babies born in 2016: 69,749

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,264

 

Most popular female baby name: Evelyn

Most popular male baby name: Henry

#14 (tie). Hawaii

Estimated state population: 1,428,557

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 20,121

Number of babies born in 2016: 18,059

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,264

 

Most popular female baby name: Olivia

Most popular male baby name: Noah

#13. Mississippi

Estimated state population: 2,988,726

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 38,127

Number of babies born in 2016: 37,928

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,269

 

Most popular female baby name: Ava

Most popular male baby name: William

#12. Arkansas

Estimated state population: 2,988,248

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 39,828

Number of babies born in 2016: 38,274

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,281

 

Most popular female baby name: Ava

Most popular male baby name: Elijah

#11. Kansas

Estimated state population: 2,907,289

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 40,033

Number of babies born in 2016: 38,053

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,309

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: Benjamin

#10. Idaho

Estimated state population: 1,683,140

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 22,319

Number of babies born in 2016: 22,482

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,336

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: Oliver

#9. Oklahoma

Estimated state population: 3,923,561

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 52,506

Number of babies born in 2016: 52,592

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,340

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#8. Louisiana

Estimated state population: 4,681,666

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 60,733

Number of babies born in 2016: 63,178

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,349

 

Most popular female baby name: Ava

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#7. Nebraska

Estimated state population: 1,907,116

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 27,484

Number of babies born in 2016: 26,589

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,394

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: Liam

#6. South Dakota

Estimated state population: 865,454

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 12,609

Number of babies born in 2016: 12,275

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,418

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: Oliver

#5. Texas

Estimated state population: 27,862,596

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 398,001

Number of babies born in 2016: 398,047

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,429

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: Noah

#4. District of Columbia

Estimated state population: 681,170

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 9,531

Number of babies born in 2016: 9,858

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,447

 

Most popular female baby name: Ava

Most popular male baby name: William

#3. North Dakota

Estimated state population: 757,952

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 11,409

Number of babies born in 2016: 11,383

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,502

 

Most popular female baby name: Harper

Most popular male baby name: Oliver

#2. Alaska

Estimated state population: 741,894

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 10,518

Number of babies born in 2016: 11,209

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,511

 

Most popular female baby name: Emma

Most popular male baby name: James

#1. Utah

Estimated state population: 3,051,217

Number of women who gave birth in 2016: 52,918

Number of babies born in 2016: 50,464

Newborn babies per 100,000 people: 1,654

 

Most popular female baby name: Olivia

Most popular male baby name: Oliver

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