A record number of babies were born in Montgomery County last year, caused partly by the county’s growing Hispanic population.
Hispanics accounted for 26.5 percent of the 13,806 babies born last year, although they account for only 14 percent of the county’s population, according to county Planning Department researchers.
“Hispanic women typically have the highest fertility rates of any group,” Planning Board spokeswoman Valerie Berton said. “This baby boomlet can be partially attributed to the growing number of Hispanics in our county.”
The percentage of non-Hispanic white, Black and Asian babies born in 2006 were closer to those groups’ share of the county’s population.
Black babies made up 20.4 percent of those born in 2006, whereas blacks made up 16 percent of the county’s 2005 population.
Asians constitute 13.3 percent of the 2006 babies and 13 percent of the county’s 2005 population.
Non-Hispanic whites still make up the largest racial group, with 2005 planning department data showing they represent 43 percent of county residents.
Forty percent of last year’s babies were white, according to the new study.
Berton said the county’s rate of growth — 306 more babies were born last year than in 2005 — is actually “slowing somewhat,” and county planners are not overly concerned about an increase in the population.
“We see these little blips occasionally,” Berton said. “Population is not going to explode off the charts.”
