What will it actually cost to raise a kid?
You're thinking about having a kid and you want real numbers, not guesses. This calculator gives you an honest birth-to-18 total in today's dollars, adjusted for your state, so you can plan with confidence.
You deserve a real number, not a guess
If you're thinking about starting a family, you've probably seen a "$310k per child" number floating around. That's a 2022 Brookings update of the USDA's last estimate, which was $233,610 in 2015 dollars ($284,570 with the inflation USDA projected) for a middle-income married couple, birth through 17. Those are old averages built on 2010s spending patterns. This calculator rebuilds the number from today's prices: about $350k birth-to-18 before college for a national-average family with full-time daycare and public school, and roughly $200k–$600k across most states and childcare choices — more with private school or college. That's a big range; plug in your situation so you can plan instead of worry.
What this calculator includes
- Childcare — the single biggest cost before kindergarten (ages 0–4), often more than a mortgage
- K-12 schooling — only matters if you go private
- Housing impact — extra bedroom, "good school district" premium (10% bump on housing)
- Food + clothing + medical + transportation — about $10k/yr at national-average prices, regionally adjusted
- Activities — sports, camps, music lessons, ranging widely
- College — the flat sticker total for the tier you pick, in today's dollars (not a savings-plan calculation). For the ROI of a degree itself, see the grad school calculator
What it doesn't include
- Opportunity cost of one parent leaving work. If a stay-at-home parent steps out of a $80k career for 5 years, the lifetime impact (lost wages + lost retirement growth) is often $500k+.
- Tax breaks. The Child Tax Credit is $2,200 per child per year from 2025 for kids under 17 — up to about $37,400 over 17 years — phasing out above $200k of income ($400k married filing jointly). A Dependent Care FSA lets you pay up to $7,500 a year of childcare pre-tax from 2026. Both are real offsets; we leave them out because they change with tax law.
- Inflation. Every figure is in today's dollars. Actual future spending will be higher in nominal terms.
Common questions
How much does it cost to raise a child in 2026?
The USDA's last estimate (2015) was $233,610 for a middle-income married couple, birth through age 17, in 2015 dollars — $284,570 with the inflation it projected. A 2022 Brookings update, assuming higher inflation, put it at $310,605. In today's dollars, this calculator lands around $350k birth-to-18 before college for a national-average family using full-time daycare and public school, and roughly $200k-$600k across most states and childcare choices — more with private school.
What is the biggest cost of raising a kid?
Childcare before kindergarten (ages 0-4) — we assume full-time daycare averages about $18k/year nationally, more in high-cost states. In many metros, childcare costs more than rent. It's the single largest line item in the early years.
How much should I save before having a kid?
There's no perfect number, but having 3-6 months of expenses in savings plus a plan for childcare costs (the first year alone can add $1,500-$3,000/month) gives you a realistic runway.