It is estimated it costs approximately $245,000 to raise a child in the United States from birth to 18 years of age.  This is based on a national average.  However, in the northeast portion of the United States it is estimated it costs about $282,000 to raise a child.  This is because the standard of living and the costs associated with said standard of living are much higher in the northeast portion of the United States.  When taking into consideration adjustments for inflation, a child born in 2013 would cost an average middle class family approximately $305,000 to raise the child from infancy to adulthood.  This information is based on a study by the federal government’s consumer expenditure survey.

This study did not take into consideration the costs related to the pregnancy.  In addition, it also doesn’t take into consideration costs related to an individual applying to college and attending college.  When the study was first undertaken in the year 1960, it cost approximately $25,000 to raise a child from birth to age 18.

Housing Costs

The largest single expense in raising a child is the cost of housing the child.  The studies have found most middle income American families spend a third of the cost for raising a child related to their housing expenses.  The second largest expense involve child care and education which makes up approximately 18% of the cost of raising a child.  About 16% of the expenses for the child relate to providing him or her three meals a day.  The cost per child expenses decrease as a family has more children.

Elliot S. Schlissel is a father’s rights attorney representing fathers throughout the Metropolitan New York area with regard to issues involving child custody.