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Raising a Child Will Cost an Average of $226,920

Bloomberg

A middle-income family could spend an average of $226,920 to raise a child born in 2010 to the age of 18, the US Department of Agriculture reported yesterday.

The estimate is up 2.1 percent from 2009, according to the study, posted on the department’s Web site. Expenses for child care, education, transportation and health services represented the biggest increases in child-rearing costs, according to the USDA.

The typical two-parent family spent from $11,880 to $13,830 on each child last year, the study found. Households that make less spend less, the researchers said. A family earning less than $57,600 a year is likely to spend $163,440 in 2010 dollars to rear a child, while parents earning more than $99,730 may pay $377,040, according to the study.

Annual expenses generally increased with a child’s age, a circumstance true in two-parent and single-parent families alike, the study found.

Expenses were highest for children raised in the urban Northeast, followed by cities in the West and Midwest, the USDA said.

Housing accounts for the biggest portion of expenses, averaging 31 percent over 17 years, the USDA said. Child care and education average 17 percent, with food costs at 16 percent. The estimates don’t include college expenses.

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11 Comments

  • Rivkah

    When I was growing up in the 70’s. These stats were in every publication. It ruined our country. People stopped having children. Having children became an ignorant idea. People didn’t want to look stupid. So, people bought pets. now we have hugh pet stores. I became frum. My husband and I raised 7 children. 4 are married now. I’m sure the number is much larger if you add day school, yeshiva, & seminary. These numbers are not for us to worry about. Most of us don’t get these publications. We don’t need to see this. Please don’t post these again.

  • RJ123

    ok, so it’s time to work harder, make more money and elect people that will let you keep more of ur own money so stories like this wont freak you out.

  • Broke in Brooklyn, cashed out in CH

    And even when they’re married with their own families we’re still paying. And paying. AND PAYING!!!

  • doesn-t make sense

    If you look at the numbers, the USDA is double-counting housing. About $7000 of that is housing, and last I checked, it doesn’t cost extra to house a kid in your apartment.

  • siyata dishmaya

    i agree with number 1 except you forgot to add the words siyata dishmaya!!! Hashem does help! Every time I have a baby or do any special mitzvah our business does much better.

  • A woman is only a woman but a good cigar

    “What fatality prompted him to marry”
    Alexander Solzhenitsyn

  • and so therefore.......?

    this is a lubavitch website. What is the horaah from this article?

  • Plus More

    And if the picture is any indication, that only includes one diaper and no clothing.

  • Hashem Provides

    But as you can see in the picture, the baby comes with its own parnasa.

  • ahem

    Oops! Why is this “lubavicth” website posting such an article? Do they want critical thinking people to start asking questions.