Arielle Martinez

The fertility rate in Nassau County fell to its lowest level in well over a decade last year, part of a steep decline statewide and driven by economic concerns, shifting norms, and a confluence of other factors, according to population experts and the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2011, New York State's general fertility rate — the number of births per 1,000 females between the ages of 15 and 44 — stood at 60, according to the Census Bureau. By 2025, that figure had dwindled to about 50.

Chronic absenteeism in Long Island schools remained stubbornly high in 2024–25, despite efforts to get students back into the classroom following a surge in absences during the pandemic. Islandwide, 17.3% of students in public schools were chronically absent, meaning they missed 18 or more class daysduring the school year compared to 17.6% the year prior, according to a Newsday analysis of state data.