Though Changhua County has the lowest average monthly salary in Taiwan, it has the highest number of births among all the cities and counties over the last two years. There are several reasons why families in Changhua are having more children.
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A recent job fair was held in Changhua County. It attracted many people looking for new jobs. However, the average monthly salary in Changhua is the lowest in all Taiwan, at only a little more than NT$32,000 (US$1,088) .
In Taiwan, families with low incomes generally choose not to have many children because they can’t afford it. But in Changhua, it is the opposite. Though it has the lowest average wage in Taiwan, it also has the highest birth rate.
This mother says she doesn’t think it’s expensive living in Changhua. She says she has her in-laws to take care of her child while she’s at work. Besides, she says her in-laws live with her, making it more convenient and helping her save money.
This other mother says she got a NT$30,000 (US$1,013) government subsidy after giving birth to her child. Compared to other cities and counties, she says that’s pretty generous.
The reason why people in Changhua can afford to have more children is because many of them have family businesses in traditional industries to rely on. Just the county’s Yuanlin City alone has over 700 billionaires, the highest per capita in Taiwan. Much wealth also comes from Dacun Village, which produces half of the grapes grown in Taiwan.
With many residents owning their own land, good benefits and low prices, Changhua has become the county most daring to have more babies.