More high-educated women become mothers at the age of 30

In recent years, the proportion of women who become mothers at the age of 30 has risen, whereas the proportion of low-educated women who become mothers at the age of 30 has in fact declined.

More than one in three high-educated 30-year-old women are mothers

Altogether, 37 percent of high-educated women born in 1980 had at least one child at the age of 30, versus 30 percent of high-educated women born in 1970. The corresponding figures for their low-educated counterparts were 69 and 72 percent respectively.

Proportion of mothers among 30-year-old women

Proportion of married 30-year-old women has fallen more rapidly among low-educated women

Generally, low-educated women are younger when they marry than high-educated women; 54 percent of low-educated women born in 1970 were married at the age of 30, versus 40 percent of high-educated women born in the same year.

The gap has narrowed considerably within one decade. The proportion of 30-year-old, low-educated women who were married at the age of 30 fell from 54 to 41 percent. The proportion of 30-year-old, high-educated women who were married at the age of 30 fell from 40 to 37 percent.

Percentage of married women in the 30-year-old female population

Ruben van Gaalen