Number of children decreases in 2018

A total of 1,037,995 children were growing up in families in the country in 2018, which was 8,341 fewer than in 2017, according to Statistics Finland.

There are now 33,805, or three per cent, fewer underage children being raised in families than ten years ago.

The biggest change in the number of underage children has occurred in South Savo where the number of children has decreased by 20 per cent.

In Kainuu, the number of underage children has declined by 18 per cent. In absolute numbers, there were most underage children in Uusimaa, 323,103, and the number has grown by five per cent from ten years ago. The change in the number of underage children has also been positive in Pirkanmaa and Åland.

There was a total of 151,291 children aged under three at the end of 2018, which was 15 per cent down from 2008. The decrease in the number of children aged under three was relatively largest in Kanta-Häme, Kainuu and South Savo.

In addition, the number of children aged under three also contracted by at least 20 per cent in Kymenlaakso, South Karelia, Central Finland, North Ostrobothnia, Lapland and Satakunta. By contrast, the drop was smallest in Uusimaa, six per cent. The number or children aged under three only remained almost unchanged in Åland where the share increased by one per cent.

In relative terms, most children aged under three were found in Uusimaa and Åland where 16 per cent of underage children in families were aged under three. The share of children aged under three was smallest in Kanta-Häme, Kymenlaakso, South Savo, South Karelia and Kainuu, 13 per cent. In ten years, the share of children aged under three among all underage children has declined in all regions.

The biggest change has occurred in North Ostrobothnia where the relative share of children aged under three has declined by four percentage points.

The number of underage children is affected by the birth rate, migration and the age structure of the population.