Child-Rearing Costs

$245,340

The cost of raising a child born in a middle-income family (earning between $61,530 and $106,540 annually) in 2013 up to the age of 18. There are regional cost differences. The highest costs are to families in the urban Northeast ($282,480) and the lowest costs are to Southern ($230,610) and rural ($193,590) families.

$407,820

The cost of raising a child born in a high-income family (earning more than $106,540 annually) in 2013 up to the age of 18.

1.8

The percent the dollar amount rose since 2012.

$12,800

The low-end annual cost of raising a child born in 2013 ($14,970 is the high end).

30

The percentage of housing costs in the total cost of raising a child until 18. Child care/education (for those with the expense) and food were the next largest average expenditures on a child, accounting for 18 and 16 percent of child-rearing expenses, respectively.

$25,230

The cost a middle-income family could have expected to spend to raise a child born in 1960 (the first year the report was conducted) until the age of 18. Housing was the largest child-rearing expense both then and now. Health care expenses for a child have doubled as a percentage of total child-rearing costs during that time. In addition, some common current-day costs, such as child care, were negligible in 1960.

Source: USDA report Expenditures on Children by Families 2013. The full report is available online at cnpp.usda.gov. In addition, families can enter the number and ages of their children to obtain an estimate of costs with a calculator via the interactive web version of the report.