Hungary’s population drops below key threshold as births hit 14-year low

Hungary’s population has fallen below 9.5 million for the first time in decades, as births declined sharply in 2025 and the country’s natural population loss widened further, according to preliminary estimates from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH).

Last year, just 72,000 children were born, 7.1% fewer than in 2024: a drop of more than 5,500 births in a single year. At the same time, 124,200 people died, meaning deaths continued to significantly outnumber births.

As a result, Hungary recorded a natural population decrease of 52,200 people, 4.5% worse than the year before. Even though mortality figures improved slightly, the falling number of newborns proved decisive, pushing the country’s demographic decline deeper.

Fertility rate sinks to lowest level in 14 years

Perhaps the most worrying indicator is the continued fall in fertility.

According to data, the total fertility rate dropped to 1.31 children per woman, down from 1.39 a year earlier: the lowest level in the past 14 years and far below the 2.1 needed for long-term population stability.

Birth numbers fell throughout the year. The sharpest declines were recorded between January and May (–8.9%) and August and November (–8.2%), with December showing a smaller but still notable 4.9% decrease.

On average, Hungary registered 7.6 live births and 13.1 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants in 2025.

Deaths ease, but not enough to offset losses

There was some improvement on the mortality side.

Although more people died in the first half of the year, deaths dropped significantly in the second half, resulting in an overall 2.6% annual decrease compared to 2024.

Still, the improvement was not strong enough to counterbalance the steep fall in births, meaning the natural population decline continued to widen.

In December alone, 6,020 children were born while 10,811 people died, leaving a monthly natural decrease of 4,791 people.

Migration offers only limited relief

International migration provided some support, with a positive balance slightly reducing the overall loss.

However, it was not enough to reverse the trend. Based on the 2022 census and updated estimates, Hungary’s population stood at 9.489 million at the end of 2025.

For comparison, according to 444.hu, the country still had over 10 million residents in 2010, which shows how persistent and long-term the demographic contraction has become.

Marriage numbers stabilise after years of decline

One small bright spot emerged in marriage statistics.

After several years of falling numbers, marriages essentially stabilised. In 2025, 46,600 couples tied the knot, virtually unchanged from the previous year, marking a slight 0.1% increase.

December even saw a noticeable rise, with marriages up 13% year-on-year.

While this may signal renewed willingness to formalise relationships, experts note that marriage alone does not automatically translate into higher birth rates.

A long-term challenge for Hungary

Hungary’s demographic trends present huge economic and social challenges, including labour shortages, pressure on the pension system and an ageing population. Despite years of family support schemes and pro-natalist policies, the latest figures show that reversing the decline is difficult.

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