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How common is circumcision in the U.S.? The real, regional picture

"What do most families do?" is one of the first things parents wonder. Here's the honest answer, straight from CDC data — and why the number depends heavily on where you live.

By the Cradle & Compass Editorial Team Every claim cited · CDC data · Updated August 2026
The short answerJust over half of U.S. newborn boys are circumcised in the hospital — about 58% nationally as of 2010, down from around 65% in 1979 (CDC). But the regional gap is enormous: roughly 78% in the Midwest versus about one-third in the West. There's no single "normal" — it's a genuinely regional and personal decision.

Newborn circumcision by U.S. region

The most reliable U.S. figures come from the CDC's National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS), which tracks circumcisions performed during the birth hospitalization. Here is the regional breakdown:

Regional newborn circumcision rates, CDC National Hospital Discharge Survey (2006 figures; the regional pattern — Midwest highest, West lowest — has held for decades). National average that year: 56.1%.

Why "circumcision rate by state" numbers online are shaky. The CDC data is reliable at the regional level, not the state level. The per-state figures you'll find on some sites are modeled estimates, not primary measurements — so we don't publish them as fact.

The national trend

Over three decades, the national newborn circumcision rate drifted down modestly — from about 64.5% in 1979 to 58.3% in 2010 — with the sharpest decline in the West, which fell to roughly 40% by 2010. More recent hospital research suggests rates continued to ease into the 2020s. The takeaway for parents: this is a decision where families genuinely go both ways, and the "majority" answer flips depending on your region.

What this means where you live. In the Midwest (including Wisconsin), circumcision is still the clear majority. In the West (Colorado, Utah, Oregon), families are much more evenly split — so if you're weighing it there, you're in very good company either way. Neither pattern makes the choice for you; it just means whatever you decide is normal for plenty of families around you.

So, is it "normal"?

Both choices are common, and both are made by loving, thoughtful parents. What matters far more than the statistics is a decision that fits your family's values, culture, and circumstances — made with good information. If you'd like to work through it, our neutral decision guide lays out the medical, religious, and personal factors without pushing you either way.

If you're leaning yes

A gentle circumcision, in the calm of your own home

Some families choose an unhurried, private procedure at home with Rabbi Gadi Levy, an experienced mohel who has performed 3,000+ circumcisions — with gentle comfort measures and vitamin K options discussed in advance.

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This article summarizes population statistics for general education; it is not medical advice and says nothing about what's right for your baby. Discuss your decision with your own provider.

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Sources

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Hospital Discharge Survey — regional newborn circumcision rates (Northeast 63.6%, Midwest/North Central 77.9%, South 55.3%, West 33.8%; national 56.1%, 2006).
  2. CDC/NCHS, "Trends in Circumcision for Male Newborns in U.S. Hospitals: 1979–2010" — national rate 64.5% (1979) to 58.3% (2010); West to ~40.2% (2010). cdc.gov
  3. Morris BJ, et al. "Circumcision Rates in the United States." Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2014.