Consider This from NPR Can the global economy handle a world with fewer kids?
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Oct 28, 2025 
In this discussion, Brian Mann, an NPR reporter focusing on global population trends, dives into the implications of declining birth rates. He explores how families, like the Evanchos, are opting for fewer children, leading to an aging population and serious economic challenges. The shortage of young workers threatens local businesses, while rising costs deter many from expanding their families. Mann also highlights varying perspectives among economists, some of whom view these shifts with less concern, stressing the need for societal adaptations to a new demographic reality.
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Fertility Has Fallen Worldwide
- Global fertility has fallen by more than half since the 1970s, per UN data.
- This widespread decline could reshape markets, public programs, and long-term growth prospects.
Choosing One Child For Balance
- Ashley Evancho and her husband chose to have only one child and find that decision keeps their life balanced.
- She says one child feels "elegant" and preserves her career and personal balance.
Small Towns Feel Population Loss
- Malone, NY, has many empty storefronts and its hospital closed the maternity ward due to too few births.
- Local officials worry jobs exist but not enough workers or younger residents to fill them.