Your Finances
How much does it cost to raise a child to age 18?
- To raise a child to age 18, you can expect to spend somewhere between $164,1601 and $407,820.2*
- A number of factors affect exactly how much it costs to raise a child, including where you live, whether or not you are a single parent, and what your income level is.
- (Optional) If desired, you can estimate what it would cost you to raise a child in your geographical area and in your specific circumstances by going to the USDA Cost of Raising a Child Calculator. (Click on "Click here to start" on the right, then enter your answers and then click "Calculate.") Note: This calculator shows the yearly (annual) cost of raising a child; to estimate how much it would cost you to raise a child to age 18, multiply the yearly figure by 17 (for 17 years).
*Does not include the cost of a college education for your child, which could range from $20,000 to several hundred thousand dollars for four years.
Source: Lino, Mark. (2014). Expenditures on Children by Families, 2013. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Miscellaneous Publication Number 1528-2013.
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/CRC/crc2013.pdf.
1. Single parent families with before-tax income less than $61,530
2. Husband-wife families with before-tax income more than $106,540.