An important fact is missing in this chart: working hours. That also explains why the curve goes up in the lowest segment: those people are probably not employed or not full time employed. After reaching a certain income level, you start having a lot more childcare options that you wouldn’t have with a lower income.
The birth rate would be much closer to the 2.1 you need for a stable population if there were affordable or even free childcare options, because Stay-at-home-Mum/Dad is only possible if either the partners income is high enough or the income of the other party is so low that it doesn’t matter.
Also. most civilized countries have laws protecting pregnant women from getting fired and have a lot more paid leave for them. US companies would push women to give birth in their toilet break and write them up if they take too long if they were allowed to.
An important fact is missing in this chart: working hours. That also explains why the curve goes up in the lowest segment: those people are probably not employed or not full time employed. After reaching a certain income level, you start having a lot more childcare options that you wouldn’t have with a lower income.
The birth rate would be much closer to the 2.1 you need for a stable population if there were affordable or even free childcare options, because Stay-at-home-Mum/Dad is only possible if either the partners income is high enough or the income of the other party is so low that it doesn’t matter.
Also. most civilized countries have laws protecting pregnant women from getting fired and have a lot more paid leave for them. US companies would push women to give birth in their toilet break and write them up if they take too long if they were allowed to.