Population decline slows despite fertility stagnation

Population continues to decline - The Budapest Times
June 1, 2026

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Population decline slows despite fertility stagnation

According to preliminary data, 5,410 children were born and 9,946 people died in April 2026. The number of births rose by 1.3% and that of deaths by 0.2%, while the number of marriages lessened by 14% compared to the same month of the previous year.

In April 2026:

A total of 5,410 children were born, 1.3% or 69 more than in April 2025.

9,946 people lost their lives, 0.2% or 18 more than a year earlier.

The natural decrease was 4,536, as opposed to 4,587 in April 2025.

3,012 couples got married, 14% or 474 less than a year earlier.

There were 6.9 live births and 12.8 deaths per thousand population. The rate of live births and deaths were both 0.1 per mille points higher than in April 2025. The natural decrease per thousand population was 5.8 per mille points, nearly the same as a year earlier. There were 3.9 marriages per thousand population, 0.6 per mille points less than in April 2025.

In January–April 2026:

22,802 children were born, 2.3% or 528 fewer than in the same period of the previous year. Within this, the number of live births was 3.3% lower in January–March and 1.3% higher in April than in the same months of the previous year. There were 34.4 live births per thousand females aged 15–49 years, the same as a year earlier.

The total fertility rate was estimated at 1.27 per female, compared with 1.28 a year earlier.

There were 43,060 deaths, 5.4% or 2,435 fewer than one year earlier. 6.9% less people died in January–March and 0.2% more in April than in the same months of the previous year.

Due to the balance of births and deaths, the natural decrease was 20,258, 8.6% less than the 22,165 recorded for the same period of the previous year.

10,963 couples got married, 8,6% or 865 more than a year earlier. 20% more marriages were registered in January–March and 14% less in April than in the same months of 2025.

There were 7.3 live births and 13.8 deaths per thousand population. The rate of live births was 0.1 per mille points lower and that of deaths 0.7 per mille points lower than in January–April 2025. The rate of natural decrease decreased by 0.6 per mille points to 6.5 per mille. The number of infant deaths was 4.3 per thousand live births, which was 1.0 per mille point higher than in the same period of the previous year. The marriage rate was 3.5 per mille, 0.3 per mille points higher than a year earlier.

Between May 2025 and April 2026:

71,472 children were born, 5.1% or 3,838 fewer than in the previous 12 months.

There were 121,765 deaths, 5.9% or 7,641 fewer than in the previous 12 months.

47,465 couples got married, 3.4% or 1,561 more than in the previous 12 months.

There were 7.5 live births and 12.8 deaths per thousand population. The rate of live births was 0.4 per mille points lower and that of deaths 0.7 per mille points lower than in the previous 12 months. The marriage rate was 5.0 per mille, 0.2 per mille points higher than in the same period a year earlier.

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