Megan Lynch talks with Ness Sandoval, a demographer and sociologist at Saint Louis University, about the sharp decline in births across the St. Louis region. Birth rates have fallen significantly since 2008, with historic lows after COVID, and counties like St. Charles County seeing major drops.
Sandoval explains the key factors behind the trend, including housing affordability and limited new construction, and what it could mean long term as the region could lose up to 150,000 children by 2045.
Apr 22, 2026
