The broad information collected by the Wyoming Department of Health’s Vital Statistics Services program offers interesting snapshots about Wyoming’s residents for those interested in learning about the state. The 2012 “Annual Reports and Provisional Data.” report contains summary data on Wyoming births, deaths, marriages and divorces.

Jim McBride, Vital Statistics Services program manager with the Wyoming Department of Health, noted Wyoming’s population continues to grow. “We surpassed 575,000 residents this year for the first time,” McBride said. “If today’s growth rate were to continue, we would expect to exceed 600,000 residents during 2014.”

McBride said Wyoming’s birth rate remains relatively stable with between 7,500 and 8,000 births each year since 2007; in 2012 there were 7,576 births. He added that wyoming has also continued to see a decrease in teen births. The number of teen births has declined 30 percent since 2007. In 2012, for every 1,000 women aged 15-19, approximately 34 gave birth.

Mcbride says the data  also shows that the average age to marry is on the rise in Wyoming.  In 2012, the average age to marry in Wyoming was 33. The number of Wyoming marriages has been stable at about 4,500 per year for more than a decade.

Vital Statistics Services is the official source for certified copies of vital records such as Wyoming birth and death certificates. The program serves as the custodian of all state vital records and shares health information to support planning efforts.

 

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