Sources verified · July 7, 2026

Cost of Raising a Child

Pick your income tier and your child's age, and we'll estimate the birth-to-18 total, how much is still ahead of you, and where the money goes.

New here? See it work with example numbers:

Higher-income families spend more, mostly on housing and activities.

Use 0 for a newborn. We'll show the cost still ahead to 18.

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What this tool does and doesn’t do

  • Does: estimate the total cost of raising one child from birth to 18 by income tier, the cost still ahead from your child’s current age, and a breakdown by category (housing, food, childcare, transportation, and the rest) using national averages.
  • Doesn’t yet: college and any cost past age 18, the income a parent gives up to provide care, your specific region or choices, inflation over the years ahead, or one-time and catastrophic costs.
  • These are US national averages, not your family's budget. Housing is the largest category and varies most by region — a high-cost metro can run well above these figures.