by Higgenbotham » Wed Jun 24, 2026 1:35 pm
Covid Mortality Diminished but Low Fertility Means Deaths Still Exceeded Births in More Than Two-Thirds of U.S. Counties
March 13, 2025
By Kenneth Johnson
Only 3,606,000 babies were born in the United States between July 2023 and July 2024, 43,000 fewer than the year before and barely exceeding (by 22,000) the 43-year low in 2020–2021, according to new Census Bureau estimates. Births are diminishing because fertility rates are at record lows, continuing a long-term decline that accelerated during the Great Recession. There were 16 percent fewer births last year than just before the Great Recession, even though there were 8 percent more women in their prime childbearing years (aged 20–39).
In contrast, deaths and mortality rates diminished modestly last year from Covid-era highs, though deaths remain nearly 10 percent above pre-pandemic levels. As a result, the balance between births and deaths remains in flux. Last year, births exceeded deaths by 517,000, considerably more than the natural gain of just 146,000 during the depths of the pandemic. Yet, last year’s natural gain was just 43 percent of the average gain —1.2 million—in the five years prior to the pandemic. A substantial excess of births over deaths has long been the primary driver of U.S. population growth, but as this surplus dwindled in the last four years, immigration provided the bulk of the nation’s population increase.
https://carsey.unh.edu/publication/covi ... -thirds-us
I like the county level maps because they show how incredibly hard the population in most of the land area of the US is being squeezed. It's another way of showing how the periphery is being drained out for the benefit of the center - the giant sucking sound from the periphery to the center.
Or, for a recent specific example, consider this article:
North Dakota Farmer Sues Federal Government, Demands Right to Drain Cropland
While his corn and soybeans drown, Cody Peterson faces potential prosecution if he drains his rows.
By Chris Bennett
June 23, 2026 06:44 AM
https://www.agweb.com/news/business/far ... n-cropland
Just a small part of the giant sucking sound that will soon be silenced forever as the center collapses.
"While the periphery breaks down rather slowly at first, the capital cities of the hegemon should collapse suddenly and violently." This is the developing story of our time...as the new dark age tightens its grip.
[quote]Covid Mortality Diminished but Low Fertility Means Deaths Still Exceeded Births in More Than Two-Thirds of U.S. Counties
March 13, 2025
By Kenneth Johnson
Only 3,606,000 babies were born in the United States between July 2023 and July 2024, 43,000 fewer than the year before and barely exceeding (by 22,000) the 43-year low in 2020–2021, according to new Census Bureau estimates. Births are diminishing because fertility rates are at record lows, continuing a long-term decline that accelerated during the Great Recession. There were 16 percent fewer births last year than just before the Great Recession, even though there were 8 percent more women in their prime childbearing years (aged 20–39).
In contrast, deaths and mortality rates diminished modestly last year from Covid-era highs, though deaths remain nearly 10 percent above pre-pandemic levels. As a result, the balance between births and deaths remains in flux. Last year, births exceeded deaths by 517,000, considerably more than the natural gain of just 146,000 during the depths of the pandemic. Yet, last year’s natural gain was just 43 percent of the average gain —1.2 million—in the five years prior to the pandemic. A substantial excess of births over deaths has long been the primary driver of U.S. population growth, but as this surplus dwindled in the last four years, immigration provided the bulk of the nation’s population increase.[/quote]
[img]https://i.postimg.cc/wvHq9RtX/Figure-2.webp[/img]
https://carsey.unh.edu/publication/covid-mortality-diminished-low-fertility-means-deaths-still-exceeded-births-more-two-thirds-us
I like the county level maps because they show how incredibly hard the population in most of the land area of the US is being squeezed. It's another way of showing how the periphery is being drained out for the benefit of the center - the giant sucking sound from the periphery to the center.
Or, for a recent specific example, consider this article:
[quote]North Dakota Farmer Sues Federal Government, Demands Right to Drain Cropland
While his corn and soybeans drown, Cody Peterson faces potential prosecution if he drains his rows.
By Chris Bennett
June 23, 2026 06:44 AM[/quote]
https://www.agweb.com/news/business/farmland/north-dakota-farmer-sues-federal-government-demands-right-drain-cropland
Just a small part of the giant sucking sound that will soon be silenced forever as the center collapses.
"While the periphery breaks down rather slowly at first, the capital cities of the hegemon should collapse suddenly and violently." This is the developing story of our time...as the new dark age tightens its grip.