Raising a child to become an independent, strong, and morally sound person to many is one of the greatest achievements. Arguably it doesn’t cost anything to raise someone to become well-mannered, but as many know, the basic necessities to live in our society is not free. My mom never allowed me to become a picky person especially when it came to food. No one complained about the food we had and no one left the table without finishing our food. As strict as that may sound, for a single parent, it was an absolute necessity to make sure that everyone knew that money did not grow on trees and that we had to finish our food because we don’t know when our next meal would be. The USDA estimates that the cost of raising a child from birth to age 18 costs roughly $233,000 for a middle income family which excludes college education costs. As I watch some of my closest friends get married, have children, or even start to think about family planning, I often wonder if everyone is prepared or even thinks about the cost of raising a child. Understandably, for many, the cost is the least important thing when raising a child, but in the case that you are family planning, I list out some of the largest expenses that you can expect.
1. Housing
The USDA estimates that roughly 29% of raising a child in a middle income family is associated with increased housing costs which assumes that families need larger residences to accommodate children. The estimated annual housing expenditure on a child by a married couple in the United States costs roughly $3,160 per year. The report found that the highest income group on average spent twice the amount spent by families in the lowest income group. The estimates are conservative as it only accounts for an additional bedroom and excludes the cost some families pay for housing with better amenities and to live in better communities.
2. Food
According to the 2020 Official USDA Food Plans report, the average low budget cost to feed a male and female child from birth to 18 costs roughly $205 and $190 per month, respectively which is roughly $2,460 and $2,280 per year. On the other hand, a liberal budget plan to feed a male and female child from birth to 18 costs roughly $301 and $281 per month, respectively which is roughly $3,612 and $3,372 per year. Parents can expect food costs to increase as the child ages and take up roughly 18% of the total of raising a child. As you can see, the range varies depending on the type of budget you are on which you can adjust based on your child’s needs.
3. Childcare and Education
Childcare and Education is the third largest expense for married couple families in the middle income group which accounts for roughly 16% of the total cost of raising a child. This cost was lower for low income groups which made up 12% of the total cost as lower income families paid for less expensive forms of child care or relied on grandparents or relatives for child care. The USDA estimates that married couple families spent roughly $178 per month for Child Care and education. Overall, child care and education expenses were generally the highest for a child under age 6 largely due to care prior to full day school.
Conclusion
The cost I’ve laid out are estimates and vary based on U.S. centric factors including income, location, and the age of the child. The true cost will vary based on your means and your child’s needs. Undeniably, raising a child in the U.S. is not cheap and historically has increased with rising housing costs and inflation on everyday consumer goods. Raised by a single mother, I’m always amazed how my mom managed to take care of myself and my siblings while working 4 different jobs. Only as an adult can I truly appreciate her dedication and the sacrifices she made. Though she likely doesn’t fit the USDA study, she is evidence that you don’t need a huge budget to raise a child, but it certainly would have helped.
