A new study has revealed that Luton has the highest fertility rate in England and Wales.

The town ranked number one with 3,464 live births and 24 stillbirths in 2023 for mothers who live in the area.

Coming in second was the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, while Slough in Berkshire has the third highest.

The City of London, Cambridge and Brighton and Hove have the lowest fertility rates in England and Wales.

A 4-day-old newborn baby, who has been placed among empty baby beds by the photographer, lies in a baby bed in the maternity ward of a hospital. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

placeholder image — A 4-day-old newborn baby, who has been placed among empty baby beds by the photographer, lies in a baby bed in the maternity ward of a hospital. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Fertility clinic Cada analysed birth statistics data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on the number of live births, stillbirths and fertility rates by area of usual residence for mothers in England and Wales in 2023. According to the ONS, “The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is the average number of live children that a group of women would bear if they experienced the age-specific fertility rates of the calendar year throughout their childbearing lifespan.”.

Luton in Bedfordshire has the highest fertility rate in England and Wales at 2.01.

The City of London has the lowest fertility rate in England and Wales at 0.55. The London Borough had 57 live births and zero stillbirths for women who are residents of the area in 2023.

Benedikt Förster, CEO and founder of Cada, said: "Discovering the areas in England and Wales with the highest and lowest fertility rates gives an insight into population growth patterns, highlighting which areas need more housing, schools and health care.

“The overall fertility rate for all regions of England and Wales has dropped to its lowest in at least 85 years, with the average number of children born to a woman over her lifetime being just 1.44.”