Number of births in Hungary at lowest since 1949

The number of births in Hungary in 2025 set a negative record. According to preliminary estimates from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), there were 72,000 children born, which is 7.1 percent or 5,511 fewer than in the previous year. As highlighted by 444,

this is the lowest number recorded since keeping statistical records began in 1949.

6,020 children were born in December, which is 4.9 percent fewer than in the same month a year prior. Meanwhile, 10,811 people died, representing a 7.8 percent drop from the previous year. The balance between births and deaths, i.e., natural population decline, was 4,791 in December of 2025, compared to 5,392 in December 2024. However, on an annual basis, this figure was 52,200, which is 4.5 percent more than the 49,959 recorded in 2024. Last year's total fertility rate was 1.31, compared to 1.39 a year before.

According to data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), the desire to marry increased: 2,271 couples got married in December, which is 13 percent, or 261 more than in December of 2024. There were 46,600 weddings in total throughout the year, which is a minimal increase of 0.1 percent compared to the figure from 2024.

The positive balance caused by international migration slightly offset the population decline resulting from natural decline, so the estimated number of Hungary's population, calculated based on the 2022 census, was

9,489,000 at the end of 2025.

For the past decade, the Hungarian government has introduced a number of policies aiming to encourage the youth to start families and has also hosted an annual event, the Demographic Summit in Budapest, heralded as “the biggest international forum of pro-family forces”.