Teen birth rates drop in Pima County

According to the UA's Making Action Possible (MAP) for Southern Arizona dashboard, which tracks regional demographic and economic data, Pima County had a teen birth rate of 14.1 births per 1,000 females ages 15 to 19 in 2024. The county ranked below both the Arizona average of 16 births per 1,000 females and the U.S. average of 15 births per 1,000.

Coconino County reported the lowest rate in Arizona at 8.9 per 1,000, while La Paz County had the highest rate at 38.4, according to the summary.

Officials from the Pima County Health Department would not provide someone to talk to about the decline, but the department noted that increasing awareness about the effects of teen pregnancy is a priority under Tucson's Prosperity Initiative.

The Tucson Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which shares the same boundaries as Pima County, ranked fifth among peer western MSAs. Some of the cities the summary compared Tucson included Portland, which had the lowest teen birth rate, San Diego, which ranked second, Las Vegas, which ranked ninth and El Paso, which ranked last at nearly 26 per 1,000.

"The peer metropolitan areas were selected because they share similar characteristics with the Tucson region, including population size, the presence of a major research university, a military installation, and similar demographic and economic characteristics," said Jennifer Pullen, director of the Economic and Business Research Center in the UA's Eller College of Management, in an email. "Comparing Tucson to these peer regions provides meaningful context beyond state and national averages. It helps us understand where the region is performing well, where challenges exist, and whether Southern Arizona is making progress or falling behind."

Hispanic or Latino teens in Pima County had the highest birth rate among the races and ethnicities reported in 2024, at 20 births per 1,000. The teen birth rate was 14.7 for Black or African American teens and 6.6 for white teens.

Local decline mirrors national trend

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. teen birth rate fell another 7% in 2025 to 11.7 births per 1,000 females ages 15 to 19. That's about a 78% decline from its peak in 1991, which was 61.8 births per 1,000.

The Congressional Research Service attributes much of the decline between the 1990s through 2019 to increased and more consistent contraceptive use. The overview points to a sharp increase in teens using highly effective long-acting and reversible contraceptives such as intrauterine devices and hormonal implants.

"During this period, some of the risk of pregnancy among younger teens declined because of decreased sexual activity," the overview says. "However, general trends in adolescent sexual activity have remained relatively stable."

In Pima County, a reason for the decline in teen births was attributed to collaborative efforts with the city, school districts, health centers and mobile outreach.

Go to tuc.life/2km for more information on teen health and resources in Pima County.