Cost of Raising a Child Calculator
How much does it actually cost to raise a child? This calculator starts from the USDA Expenditures on Children by Families report, brings the figures up to current dollars, and adjusts for where you live, your income level, how many children you have, and whether you plan to pay for college. The result is a realistic estimate of what 18 years (plus an optional 4-year degree) will run you — broken down by housing, food, childcare, healthcare, transportation, clothing, and miscellaneous.
How We Calculate This
Base cost by income tier comes from USDA 2017 figures inflated to current dollars. Regional multipliers: Urban Northeast 1.24×, Urban West 1.20×, Urban Midwest 0.99×, Urban South 0.92×, Rural 0.81×. Per-child factor: 1 child 1.27×, 2 children 1.00× (baseline), 3+ children 0.76×. Yearly cost is scaled to your chosen years (default 18). College cost is added per child if greater than 0. Category percentages match USDA averages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this calculator get its numbers?
The base figures come from the USDA's Expenditures on Children by Families report, which tracked spending on a child from birth to age 17 for a two-parent, middle-income household. We adjust those numbers to current dollars using the Consumer Price Index, then scale by region, income tier, number of children, and the years you want to cover.
Does cost per child go up or down with more kids?
Down. Larger families benefit from economies of scale — siblings share bedrooms, hand-me-down clothes, bulk groceries, and so on. The USDA estimates each child costs roughly 27% more than baseline in a one-child family, and about 24% less per child in a three-or-more-child family.
Why is the result so different between income tiers?
Higher-income households spend more on housing, childcare, education, and activities — not because the child requires more, but because parents choose larger homes, more enrichment, and more services. The low-income figure represents minimum costs; the high-income figure represents what wealthier families actually spend.
Does this include college?
Optional. The default college cost is $108,000, roughly the current 4-year total (tuition, fees, room, and board) at a public in-state university. Set it to 0 to exclude college, or raise it to estimate a private school. The number is added on top of the 0-18 estimate.
What's not included?
Pregnancy and birth costs, lost income from a parent leaving the workforce, life insurance, weddings, graduate school, and any inheritance or down-payment help you give as an adult. These can each add tens of thousands of dollars beyond the figure shown.
Related Calculators
You might also find these calculators helpful: College Savings Calculator, Compound Interest Calculator, and Due Date Calculator.
This calculator provides estimates only and is not personalized financial advice. Actual costs vary widely by household. For financial planning around children, college, or family budgeting, consult a qualified financial advisor.