A 2021 study by the Census revealed that childless adults age 55 and older had a median net worth of $153,900 compared to $130,400 for biological parents.
This is similar to the "correlation doesn't equal causation" fallacy.
Dual income and no kids, is due to the prospect of cost of living and raising a family out pacing income. Housing, vehicle, child care, tuition, are all the items pricing middle class out of options.
DINK is not a choice, if anything, it's more the result of not having the luxury to choose.
I think there's a very solid argument to be made that far fewer would be making that choice if the future didn't look bleak as hell. I would at least consider having kids if I thought there was a better than not chance that the world I leave them will be better than the one I was given.
Yes but you can also argue that shitload of people simply have kids without thinking even when they absolutely shouldn't. So yeah some people would like to have kids but decide not to while others shouldn't have kids but do anyway. It's really time to change our attitude from "every couple needs kids" to "only some couples should have kids".
Exactly. People need to stop acting like the economy is stopping them from making the biggest mistake of their lives. This is the ONLY good thing about the economy right now.
This is a gross oversimplification that ignores a million societal factors. It's a choice for a lot of us. People used to either not have a choice or think they didn't. Many now know they have a choice and don't want to be broke and stressed. Like my parents were. You know, back when everyone was rich and happy.