US EditionRaising a child now costs over $300,000, study finds
Families in six states are projected to spend more than $300,000, while Hawaii leads at $412,661, LendingTree found.
- On Monday, April 6, 2026, LendingTree published an analysis estimating the cost to raise a child from birth through age 18 at $303,418, marking the first time the figure topped $300,000 since tracking began in 2023.
- Higher prices for housing, food, and child care drove the 1.9% year-over-year increase, with rent costs alone jumping nearly 49%, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Geographic disparities remain significant, as Hawaii is the most expensive state to raise a child at $412,661, compared to roughly $200,000 in lower-cost states such as South Carolina and New Hampshire.
- Families now allocate roughly 21.9% of their income toward child-related expenses, creating what LendingTree analyst Matt Schulz described as "tremendous strain" on household budgets amid rising affordability pressures.
- Signed July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act increased the child tax credit, providing roughly $200 in annual savings to help families partially offset these rising child-rearing expenses.
21 Articles
21 Articles
The Epoch Times
Raising a Child Now Costs About $303,000: Study
Parents who start raising a child in 2026 will spend around $303,418 from birth to 18 years old, according to a study published April 6 by Lending Tree. The cost increased 1.9 percent from last year. The average annual cost works out to about $16,857 over 18 years, pushing this year’s estimate over $300,000 for the first time since Lending Tree began calculating it in 2023, the online loan marketplace reported. Hawaii is the most expensive state…
Raising a Child Now Costs About $303,000
(The Epoch Times)—Parents who start raising a child in 2026 will spend around $303,418 from birth to 18 years old, according to a study published April 6 by Lending Tree. The cost increased 1.9 percent from last year. The average annual cost works out to about $16,857 over 18 years, pushing this year’s estimate over $300,000 for the first time since Lending Tree began calculating it in 2023, the online loan marketplace reported. Hawaii is the mo…
Here's What It Will Cost to Raise a 2026 Baby
That bundle of joy is also a $300,000 line item, according to a new LendingTree analysis . It estimates that a middle-income couple with around $100,000 in income will shell out $303,418 to raise a child born in 2026 through age 18—averaging about $16,857 a year,...
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