We Have Fewer Teen Moms
Despite the allure of landing a spot on MTV’s reality show about weathering one’s teenage years with a tot (or two)—and, subsequently, the cover of Us Weekly—our high-schoolers seem to be occupied with, uh, whatever else the kids do these days. More so, at least, than their peers nationwide, who, according to the National Survey of Family Growth, in 2008* became pregnant at a rate of 69.8 per every 1,000 females ages 15 to 19, representing about 7 percent of girls in 9th through 12th grades. Westchester’s teen pregnancy rate has hovered around 44 to 47 instances per 1,000, or 4 percent, since 2005, according to the State Department of Health.
Curious who’s upping the numbers in our parts? White Plains’ 10601 ZIP (which includes City Center) came in with the highest rate: 11 percent. Parts of Yonkers and Mount Vernon followed, while Dobbs Ferry, Yorktown Heights, and Bronxville were neck-and-neck in low instances. Scarsdale topped that scale with a rate of just 3 percent.
*Congrats, America! The national teenage pregnancy rate in 2008 was the lowest reported since 1976, dropping an incredible 40 percent from 1990.
Teen Pregnancy Rates Lower in Westchester
Our teen pregnancy rates hover around 4 percent, compared to the national rate of 7 percent.