It’s no secret that raising children can be expensive, but how about a quarter of a million dollars expensive? A government report released Tuesday says a middle-income family with a child born last year will spend about $221,000 raising that child through age 17.
The report by the USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion identified housing as the largest single expense, followed by food and child care/education costs. The $221,000 in expenses rises to about $292,000 when adjusted for inflation. USDA economist Mark Lino, who co-authored the report with Andrea Carlson, often hears people say children cost a lot when the annual findings are issued. “I tell them children also have many benefits, so you have to keep that in mind,” he said.
Families with more income spend more on child-related costs, the report said. A family that earns less than $57,000 annually will spend about $160,000 on a child from birth through high school. Those with an income between $57,000 and $99,000 spend about $221,000 and those with higher incomes are expected to spend roughly $367,000 through age 17.
WOW! That makes us sound rich! We aren’t but we are raising four kids so we can’t be doing to badly.
Yeah – and I signed up for it! My Wife & I adopted 3 young kids a couple of years ago. The benefits are worth WELL MORE than the near-million we’ll spend along the way…
Well that explains a lot.
No wonder that I have a lot more money now that the house is empty of kids.
Children do have some benefits, such as changing the TV channels when the remote dies. But is that worth $221,000? I don’t think so.