Adoption By The Numbers

The National Council For Adoption (NCFA) has provided comprehensive data on the number of adoptions within the United States in 2021 & 2022.

The report highlights the shifts across the adoption categories on a national and state level due to a variety of global and national events. Such events include, the COVID-19 pandemic, shifts in international adoption practices particularly from China and Ukraine, and the landmark Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. These significant events have largely impacted the trends in adoption.

National numbers estimate that in 2022, 80,598 children were adopted. This was a slight decrease from the previous year. Adoption from foster care encompassed 66.48 percent of adoptions, private domestic adoptions were 31.64 percent of total adoptions, and international adoptions finished out the numbers with 1.88 percent.

New Jersey Numbers:

• In 2022 estimates indicate that 1,499 children were adopted, a slight decrease from the previous year.
• Foster care adoption has dropped continuously since 2019. In 2022, 592 children were adopted from foster care. Foster care adoption was noted to be 35.56 percent of total adoptions in New Jersey in 2022, down from 38.79 percent in 2021.
• Private domestic adoptions has increased over the years. In 2022, 930 children were adopted through private domestic adoption. This was a 5.56 percent increase from 2021. Private domestic adoption accounted for 62 percent of total adoptions in NJ in 2022.
• Intercountry adoptions has remained in the 2 to 3 percent of total adoptions in New Jersey consistently over the past few years. In 2022, 39 children were adopted internationally. In 2021, 53 children were adopted internationally.

To read more of this extensive report, please visit:
adoptioncouncil.org/adoption-by-the-numbers