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A total of 5,752 children were born during the month, down 2.9% compared to March 2025. At the same time, 10,393 people died, marking a more pronounced 9.2% decrease. As a result, the natural decrease in the population narrowed to 4,641 from 5,529 a year earlier.
Marriage activity stood out as a bright spot. Some 3,401 couples tied the knot in March, an increase of 15% year-on-year, continuing a broader upward trend in weddings.
In relative terms, there were 7.1 live births and 12.9 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants. While both indicators declined compared to a year earlier, the faster drop in mortality contributed to a smaller natural population decline, which stood at 5.8 per mille.
Looking at the first quarter as a whole, demographic pressures persisted despite improving mortality figures. Between January and March, 17,367 children were born, 3.5% fewer than in the same period of 2025. The total fertility rate edged down to 1.29 from 1.31, underscoring ongoing challenges in boosting birth rates.
Over the same period, 32,899 people died, a significant 7.5% decrease year-on-year. This helped reduce the natural decrease to 15,532, an improvement of 12% compared to the first quarter of last year.
Marriage numbers continued to climb strongly, with 7,951 couples marrying in the first three months of the year, up 20% from a year earlier. Growth was broad-based, with increases recorded across all regions.
Regional data showed diverging trends in births, with declines in the capital and three regions, while Northern Hungary posted the strongest increase. Deaths fell across the board, with the largest drop also recorded in Northern Hungary.
Over the 12 months to March 2026, 71,378 children were born, down 6.3% from the previous year, while deaths totaled 121,532, a 6% decline. Meanwhile, 47,939 marriages were registered, up 4%, reinforcing the upward trend in nuptial activity.
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