Raising a child in the United States can be expensive, but the price tag varies based on where a family lives, with some places adding thousands to the annual cost.
On average, families raising a child across the 100 most populous metro areas in the US spend at least $22,989 each year or $413,810 up to the age of 18. However, this figure can drastically go up depending on the area they live in.
To determine the cost of raising a child in the US, a recent study from CreditNews Research analyzed the "living wages" of dual-income households with and without children and compared how much these households have to earn to get by.
The study found that cities with the highest child-related costs are often metro areas with the highest housing costs in the nation. In many of these metro areas, the annual cost of having one child can cost nearly half the current US median household income of $79,090.
Most Expensive Cities To Raise a Child
1. San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA
- Average annual cost of raising a child: $37,340
- Cost of raising a child until age 18: $672,120
- Required income for families with one child: $126,641
2. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
- Average annual cost of raising a child: $37,350
- Cost of raising a child until age 18: $671,490
- Required income for families with one child: $129,696
3. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
- Average annual cost of raising a child: $35,236
- Cost of raising a child until age 18: $634,242
- Required income for families with one child: $125,222
4. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
- Average annual cost of raising a child: $33,267
- Cost of raising a child until age 18: $598,800
- Required income for families with one child: $81,080
5. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
- Average annual cost of raising a child: $32,763
- Cost of raising a child until age 18: $589,728
- Required income for families with one child: $114,916
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Least Expensive Cities To Raise a Child
1. Jackson, MS
- Average annual cost of raising a child: $14,661
- Cost of raising a child until age 18: $263,892
- Required income for families with one child: $77,616
2. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
- Average annual cost of raising a child: $15,266
- Cost of raising a child until age 18: $274,794
- Required income for families with one child: $71,385
3. Wichita, KS
- Average annual cost of raising a child: $15,712
- Cost of raising a child until age 18: $282,816
- Required income for families with one child: $56,797
4. El Paso, TX
- Average annual cost of raising a child: $16,246
- Cost of raising a child until age 18: $292,422
- Required income for families with one child: $73,809
5. Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
- Average annual cost of raising a child: $16,271
- Cost of raising a child until age 18: $292,872
- Required income for families with one child: $78,103
