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Births

Description: 

The number of births, by county of residence, is counted from birth certificates. The crude birth rate is calculated by dividing the number of births by an estimate of population. It is not adjusted for differences in the age composition.

The numbers of births are presented on Arizona Indicators since 1970 for the United States, Arizona, and the 15 Arizona counties. Data prior to 1970 are available from the sources. Preliminary data are released monthly, but final counts are slow to be released.

Data Source: 

Births are reported by the Arizona Department of Health Services http://www.azdhs.gov/plan/menu/for/births.htm and, for national data, the National Center for Health Statistics http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/births.htm.

Population estimates used to calculate the birth rate come from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau. The latest data can be obtained at http://www.census.gov/popest/counties but the historical data are more easily accessed from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis: http://www.bea.gov/regional/index.htm.

Data Quality Comments: 

The birth data are believed to be an accurate count of the number born in the United States. However, the population used to calculate birth rates are estimates.

iconCrude Birth Rate, 2012

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Visualization Notes:

The number of births per 1,000 residents was a little higher in Arizona (13.1) than the nation (12.6) in 2012. The crude birth rate ranged across Arizona, from 10 or less in La Paz, Mohave, and Yavapai counties — which have a high proportion of residents of retirement age — to more than 15 in Navajo and Yuma counties, which have a high share of residents of prime child-bearing age. The crude birth rate in Maricopa County is higher than the state’s figure, but the figures in Pima and Pinal counties, the other populous counties, are less than the U.S. average.

iconCrude Birth Rate

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Visualization Notes:

The number of births per 1,000 residents has trended down for decades, but also follows the economic cycle, with higher crude birth rates during strong economic expansions and lower rates during and shortly after recessions. The crude rate peaked in 2006 nationally and in Arizona. Significant declines occurred from 2008 through 2010, related to the recession, with lesser decreases in 2011 and 2012. The decreases were especially large in Arizona, in part due to a very large decline among Hispanics.

Data Source

Births are reported by the Arizona Department of Health Services http://www.azdhs.gov/plan/menu/for/births.htm and, for national data, the National Center for Health Statistics http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/births.htm.

Population estimates used to calculate the birth rate come from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau. The latest data can be obtained at http://www.census.gov/popest/counties but the historical data are more easily accessed from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis: http://www.bea.gov/regional/index.htm.