Previous year's statistics

Number of births fell again in the previous year

Compared to 2022, there was a significant decline in births in all federal states. This was most pronounced in Tyrol at minus 9.2 percent.

(Bild: Gorodenkoff Productions OU, stock.adobe.com)

77,296 children were born in Austria last year. This is 6.5% fewer than in 2022 and even 10.2% fewer than the pre-pandemic average. On the other hand, there were 88,744 deaths, meaning 11,448 fewer people were born than died. There were also fewer weddings (minus 2534), but more divorces.

According to Statistics Austria Director General Tobias Thomas, the provisional number of deaths in 2023 was 7.1% higher than the five-year average before the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2019.

Taking into account the increase in the population and changes in the age structure, more deaths would have been expected in the previous year than in the years 2015 to 2019, even without the pandemic.

Birth deficit for the fourth time in a row
The final number of deaths should be slightly higher - estimated at around 90,000 - due to late registrations, among other things. Significantly fewer late registrations (300 to 500) are expected for births. This means that Austria has a birth deficit for the fourth time in a row.

Biggest drop in births in Tyrol 
Compared to 2022, there was a significant decline in births in all federal states. This was most pronounced in Tyrol at minus 9.2%, followed by Upper Austria and Burgenland with minus 7.8% each. The number of newborns fell least sharply in Styria and Vorarlberg (minus 3.3% each).

Symbolic image

(Bild: Gorodenkoff Productions OU, stock.adobe.com)

The provisional balance of live births and deaths was positive in three federal states in 2023 - most markedly in Vienna (plus 1,226). In six federal states, however, there were fewer newborns than deaths, particularly in Lower Austria (minus 5518), Styria (minus 3138) and Carinthia (minus 2242).

Slightly more divorces, fewer weddings
44,948 couples tied the knot, 2534 fewer than in 2022 (minus 5.3 percent), meaning that civil weddings have returned to the level of the pre-coronavirus years. At the same time, 14,033 marriages were divorced. 

Only Burgenland saw slightly more marriages (plus 0.5%) than in 2022.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

The sharpest decline in weddings was recorded in Salzburg (minus 8.8%), followed by Carinthia (minus 8.4%) and Styria (minus 7.5%). Only Burgenland saw slightly more marriages (plus 0.5 percent) than in 2022.

The option of same-sex marriage, which has been available since 2019, was used 2.4% less in 2023 than in the previous year. In total, there were 772 couples: 359 male and 413 female.