5,752 children are born and 10,393 people lose their lives
According to preliminary data, 5,752 children were born and 10,393 people died in March 2026. The number of births lessened by 2.9% and that of deaths by 9.2%, while the number of marriages rose by 15% compared to the same month of the previous year.
In March 2026:
A total of 5,752 children were born, 2.9% or 169 fewer than in March 2025.
10,393 people lost their lives, 9.2% or 1,057 fewer than a year earlier.
The natural decrease was 4,641, as opposed to 5,529 in March 2025.
3,401 couples got married, 15% or 433 more than a year earlier.
There were 7.1 live births and 12.9 deaths per thousand population. The rate of live births was 0.2 per mille points lower and that of deaths 1.2 per mille points lower than in March 2025. The natural decrease per thousand population diminished by 1.1 per mille points to 5.8. There were 4.2 marriages per thousand population, 0.6 per mille points more than a year earlier.
In January–March 2026:
17,367 children were born, 3.5% or 622 fewer than in the same period of the previous year. Within this, the number of live births was 2.2% lower in January, 5.5% lower in February and 2.9% lower in March than in the same months of the previous year. There were 34.9 live births per thousand females aged 15–49 years, 0.4 per mille points fewer than a year earlier.
The total fertility rate was estimated at 1.29 per female, compared with 1.31 a year earlier.
There were 32,899 deaths, 7.5% or 2,668 fewer than one year earlier. 5.3% less people died in January, 8.3% fewer in February and 9.2% less in March than in the same months of the previous year.
Due to the balance of births and deaths, the natural decrease was 15,532, 12% less than the value of 17,578 for the same period of the previous year.
7,951 couples got married, 20% or 1,339 more than a year earlier. 31% more marriages were registered in January, 20% more in February and 15% more in March than in the same months of 2025.
There were 7.4 live births and 14.1 deaths per thousand population. The rate of live births was 0.2 per mille points lower and that of deaths 1.1 per mille points lower than in January–March 2025. The rate of natural decrease decreased by 0.8 per mille points to 6.6 per mille. The number of infant deaths was 3.9 per thousand live births, which was 1.1 per mille points higher than in the same period of the previous year. The marriage rate was 3.4 per mille, 0.6 per mille points higher than a year earlier.
Main data on vital events, January–March 2026
| Vital events | Number | Change compared to same period of previous year, % | Per thousand populationa) | Change compared to same period of previous year, per mille point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live births | 17,367 | –3.5 | 7.4 | –0.2 |
| Deaths | 32,899 | –7.5 | 14.1 | –1.1 |
| Infant deaths | 68 | 36.0 | 3.9b) | 1.1 |
| Natural increase/decrease | –15,532 | –11.6 | –6.6 | 0.8 |
| Marriages | 7,951 | 20.3 | 3.4 | 0.6 |
a) The rates refer to the whole of the year in order to ensure comparability.
b) Per thousand live births.
The number of births declined in three regions as well as in the capital, increased in three regions, and remained unchanged in Central Transdanubia compared to the same period of the previous year. The largest drop was observed in Budapest, while the largest growth occurred in Northern Hungary.
The number of deaths decreased in all regions compared with the same period of the previous year. The largest decline was observed in Northern Hungary, while the smallest reduction occured in the Northern Great Plain.
The rate of natural decrease declined in all regions. The reduction exceeded the national average in Northern Hungary and the Southern Great Plain, while the smallest decrease was observed in Budapest.
The number of marriages increased in all regions. The largest rise was recorded in Northern Hungary, while the smallest increase occurred in Southern Transdanubia.
Main data on vital events by region, January–March 2026
| Region | Live births | Deaths | Natural increase/decrease | Marriages | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| number | change, %a) | number | change, %a) | number | change, %a) | number | change, %a) | |
| Budapest | 2 557 | –11.7 | 5 203 | –7.7 | –2 646 | –3.5 | 1 319 | 15.3 |
| Pest | 2 562 | –6.2 | 3 869 | –6.0 | –1 307 | –5.7 | 1 040 | 27.6 |
| Central Transdanubia | 1 884 | 0.0 | 3 622 | –5.2 | –1 738 | –10.3 | 921 | 17.6 |
| Western Transdanubia | 1 521 | –7.9 | 3 294 | –6.2 | –1 773 | –4.6 | 780 | 31.8 |
| Southern Transdanubia | 1 333 | –2.7 | 3 322 | –5.4 | –1 989 | –7.1 | 669 | 11.1 |
| Northern Hungary | 2 327 | 4.2 | 4 184 | –11.0 | –1 857 | –24.8 | 988 | 35.2 |
| Northern Great Plain | 3 080 | 3.0 | 5 003 | –3.1 | –1 923 | –11.5 | 1 280 | 25.2 |
| Southern Great Plain | 2 103 | 3.6 | 4 402 | –9.7 | –2 299 | –19.2 | 954 | 22.6 |
| Total | 17 367 | –3.5 | 32 899 | –7.5 | –15 532 | –11.6 | 7 951 | 20.3 |
a) Compared to the same period of the previous year
Between April 2025 and March 2026:
71,378 children were born, 6.3% or 4,770 fewer than in the previous 12 months.
There were 121,532 deaths, 6.0% or 7,738 fewer than in the previous 12 months.
47,939 couples got married, 4.0% or 1,834 more than in the previous 12 months.
There were 7.5 live births and 12.8 deaths per thousand population. The rate of live births was 0.5 per mille points lower and that of deaths 0.7 per mille points lower than in the previous 12 months. The marriage rate was 5.0 per mille, 0.2 per mille points higher than in the earlier period.