The share of babies born to mothers under 25 fell to a record low in 2025, with 14 percent of births in that age group, according to new data from Stats NZ. That is half the proportion recorded in 1995 (28 percent), and down from 46 percent in 1965.

The shift accompanies a steady rise in the age at which women are giving birth. The median age of mothers reached 31.7 years in 2025, up from 28.6 in 1995 and 25.5 in 1965. “The median age of mothers giving birth in 2025 once again reached a record high, with roughly half of babies born last year having mothers over the age of 32 years,” Stats NZ spokesperson Joel Watkins said.

The overall number of births has been similar across the three points in time. There were 57,705 live births registered in 2025, compared with 57,672 in 1995 and 60,045 in 1965.

The long-term trend toward older motherhood is visible across regions:

• Every region saw a drop in the share of births to mothers under 25 between 1995 and 2025. The Bay of Plenty recorded the largest fall, from 37 percent in 1995 (the highest that year) to 18 percent in 2025.
• In 2025, Gisborne had the highest share of births to younger mothers at 25 percent, while Otago had the lowest at 8 percent. In 1995, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay both sat at 36 percent; Canterbury (23 percent) and Otago (24 percent) were among the lowest.
• The proportion of births to mothers aged 35 and over doubled nationally from 13 percent in 1995 to 26 percent in 2025. Wellington led in 2025 with 31 percent—nearly one in three births—to mothers 35+, up from 15 percent in 1995.
• Gisborne and Taranaki had the lowest shares of births to mothers 35+ in 2025, at 18 and 19 percent respectively, both up from 10 percent in 1995.

Stats NZ notes regional patterns often reflect local age structures—areas with large student populations, such as Otago, tend to have fewer births to women under 25. Watkins also pointed to previously published birth rate data as context for the changes across age groups.

The figures underline a generational shift in when families are starting. The age profile of parents influences demand for maternity services and support, and continues to move upward even as total annual births remain broadly steady across decades.