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Opinion

Flick Fact: Illinois moms are getting older - a lot older?

Question: Motherhood is still motherhood, but the age at which women become first-time moms in Illinois has changed dramatically. In the 1970s, the average first-time mom in Illinois was 21.4 years old. Do you know the average age today?

Answer: It has climbed to 27.5 years old in Illinois. And among women with bachelor's degrees, the average age for a first child is now 30.3 years. In other words, today's moms are often arriving with careers, mortgages and graduate degrees.

bflick@pantagraph.com

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This story was originally published May 24, 2026 at 2:21 PM.

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