The panel overseeing the trust fund for Social Security and Medicare issues its annual financial report. The latest projection is that the Social Security trust fund will be depleted by 2032, at which point incoming revenue can pay only about 78% of scheduled benefits. For the 1 in 5 Americans who receive Social Security, that means a benefit cut of roughly 22%.
California's population grew from 6.9 million in 1940 to 19 million in 1970, thanks to immigrants and the postwar baby boom. In the 1980s, the population grew by 6 million and California was awarded seven new congressional seats. Since the 1990s, population growth has slowed and fertility rate has dropped. The state lost a congressional seat after the 2020 census and is likely to lose several more after the 2030 census.
India's fertility rate has fallen to 1.9 births per woman, below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population over time. Elon Musk warned that declining birth rates pose one of the biggest long-term threats to civilisation. The decline was highlighted in the 2025 State of World Population Report by the UNFPA.
Dan Hess is the man behind the More Births account on social media. He has more than 45,000 followers in less than 4 years. Razib and Hess discuss the fertility crisis in East Asia and urban density. They also discuss the consequences of reduced dynamism due to an aging population.
India's fertility rate has dropped to 1.9 children per woman, below the level needed to keep the population from shrinking. There are concerns about future labour shortages and an ageing society. Better access to education and contraceptives are among key factors behind the falling fertility rate, along with increased costs of raising children.
India's fertility rate has declined from 2.3 to 1.9 births per woman in the past decade. Radhika Gupta, CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund, believes the decline in fertility could alter the country's long-term growth trajectory. She rejects the idea that women's workforce participation is the issue. She argues that policymakers should focus on making careers and family life compatible.
The date when Social Security's trust fund is expected to run out of money got bumped up. The fund is now projected to empty in 2032, a quarter earlier than last year's estimate. President Donald Trump's policies are degrading a program he promised to never jeopardize.
Singapore's total fertility rate fell to a record low of 0.87 in 2025. The city state is on track to become a super-aged society this year with a fifth of its population aged 65 and over. Singapore has been trying to reverse a decline in its birth rate by handing out incentives including baby bonus cash gifts.
The number of children under the age of 15 in Japan has fallen to a new historic low. In 1950, children under 15 made up 35.1% of the population. Half a century later, in 2000, the share of children had declined to 14.5%. Now, according to the results of 2025, it has again hit a new low, falling to 10.8%. The fall in fertility is connected with the continual decline in the number of marriages.
Sanjeev Sanyal warned that population decline in India could have begun in the 2030s if not for gains in life expectancy. He is also a member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council. India's total fertility rate has dropped from 2.3 to 1.9 over the past decade, falling below the replacement level of 2.1.