Written by Nicole Beltran-Trejo | Published: July 28, 2026
For decades, declining global fertility rates have often been explained by the assumption that young people simply don’t want to marry or have children. The newly released report from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) presents evidence that challenges this common narrative.
Lives, Choices and Futures summarizes findings from the Demographic Futures Survey 2026. Drawing on responses from more than 108,000 internet-connected people ages 18 to 39 across 73 countries and territories, the report reveals that many young people continue to value partnership and parenthood. However, “the conditions to realize these aspirations often feel out of reach.”
The report’s findings reveal widespread concerns about conflict and security risks, as well as economic insecurity and inequality. More than three-quarters of respondents rated each as somewhat or very worrying. Participants also identified the top conditions for feeling ready to become a parent: being financially secure (88% rated this as somewhat or very important), having stable employment (87%), and feeling psychologically/emotionally ready (85%).
Young people’s concerns about stable employment and economic opportunity are likely linked to today’s competitive job market. In the United States, recent college graduates (ages 22–27) face a 5.6% unemployment rate, while young workers in the same age group without a college degree experience a 7.2% unemployment rate. Both rates are higher than the overall national unemployment rate of approximately 4.2%.
Another key finding from the UNFPA report is that more than two-thirds of respondents want to marry a partner. However, among respondents ages 25 to 39 who want a partner, one-quarter are single and not dating. The report notes that further research is needed to uncover why, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. 
Still, studies have suggested that social media and online dating may be adding new pressures to modern relationships.
Online dating has increased the number of potential partners, but having more options can also feel overwhelming. This may lead people to question the strength of their relationships and continue searching, creating what is often called the “paradox of choice.”
At the same time, social media’s steady stream of carefully curated photos and videos can distort expectations of relationships and everyday life, potentially amplifying feelings of loneliness and relationships falling short in comparison to others’ highlight reels.
During a recent media briefing, UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita reflected on what the report reveals about the desires of young people:
“They are asking for the conditions that would make real choice possible: decent work, affordable housing, health care, sexual and reproductive health services, child care support, parental leave and gender equality at work and at home.”
Keita went on to explain that it is uncertainty, not unwillingness, that is causing many young people to question whether they can start a family. That uncertainty extends beyond finances. For many young people, political conflict and insecurity also shape whether the future feels stable enough to plan for a family. Other analyses, including Population Connection’s own survey on people’s family size aspirations and outcomes, have also revealed that uncertainty and concern over the state of the world have a major effect on people’s decisions. The UNFPA report emphasizes the importance of recognizing the complexity and nuance of these decisions.
It is clear that young people are worried. However, they are not hopeless. Two-thirds of respondents reported feeling positive about the future, even as conflict, economic insecurity, and inequality ranked among their greatest concerns.
The report argues that governments should focus less on trying to influence birth rates and more on expanding the choices available to people. Policies that improve access to affordable housing, quality health care, child care, paid parental leave, decent work, and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services can help remove the barriers that prevent people from building the lives they want.
