Millenials cannot even take care of themselves, at least some of them are smart enough to figure out that having kids is not a good idea when you don’t have a husband who can provide for the family, you’re mired in student loan debt, you have terrible jobs with flat wage growth, and no hope of ever owning a house.
The ones I know who could technically afford kids would all have to make significant sacrifices in their standard of living, and they are not willing to do that.
That life situation doesn't stop the illegal immigrants without a high school education from coming here and having several kids.
Exactly. I’m 33, and have just dug myself out of student loan debt. It will take me another five years before I could afford a house that would accommodate a family. With post-2008 economic insecurity, skyrocketing university tutition and indadequate housing supply, having kids is a very foolish idea for money.
I believe that is the biggest issue; young people today watched the economic implosion 10 years ago, watched people lose their jobs, homes, etc. - and they want no part of it. To deal with the economic instability, they’ve adopted the Western European solution: commit to nothing (homes, families, etc.).
This trend IMHO is having the largest impact on the housing market; our government’s response it to traffic others here to buy the existing home stock as ageing Americans “attrite out”...