About the Cost of Raising a Child Calculator
This cost of raising a child calculator estimates how much you will spend on a child from birth (or their current age) through age 17. It works category by category — housing, food, transportation, health care, clothing, miscellaneous costs and childcare — so you can plug in your own numbers and see which costs dominate.
It uses the same structure as the US Department of Agriculture’s Expenditures on Children by Families report, which found that a middle-income, two-child married couple would spend $233,610 (in 2015 dollars) raising a child to 17, with housing the largest share (29%), followed by food (18%) and, for families that pay for it, child care and education (16%). Childcare is split into the pre-school years (ages 0–4), when it is usually most expensive, and school-age care such as after-school programs.
Enter yearly costs in today’s dollars. The calculator grows them with inflation to give a total in future dollars, and adjusts for family size using the USDA finding that only children cost about 27% more per child and families with three or more children spend about 24% less per child. Defaults are illustrative; college is not included.
With the default inputs, the total cost to age 18 (with inflation) is $440,831.61. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the cost of raising a child calculator
- 1Enter yearly costs for each category in today’s dollars.
- 2Set childcare costs for the pre-school years and school-age years.
- 3Choose how many children are in your family.
- 4Set an inflation rate and your child’s current age.
- 5Review the total, the yearly breakdown and the biggest cost categories.
Formula and method
For each year from the child’s current age a₀ to 17, the calculator adds the base yearly costs B (housing, food, transportation, health care, clothing and miscellaneous) and the childcare cost for that age, C_age — the early-years rate for ages 0–4 and the school-age rate for ages 5–17. Each year is grown by inflation i from today, so a cost 10 years away is multiplied by (1 + i)¹⁰.
The family-size multiplier m follows the USDA’s 2015 findings: one-child households spend about 27% more on their only child than two-child families spend per child (m = 1.27), and families with three or more children spend about 24% less per child (m = 0.76). The total in today’s dollars ignores inflation.
- B
- Sum of yearly non-childcare costs
- C_age
- Childcare cost for that age
- i
- Yearly inflation rate
- m
- Family-size multiplier (1.27, 1 or 0.76)
- a₀
- Child’s current age
Worked examples
Newborn, two-child family, 3% inflation
Base costs are $14,400 a year. Adding $11,000 of childcare for ages 0–4 and $2,500 for ages 5–17 gives $346,700 in today’s dollars over 18 years ($19,261 a year). Growing each year by 3% inflation raises the total to about $440,832, of which childcare is about $103,664.
Only child, no inflation
With one child the USDA multiplier is 1.27, so $346,700 becomes $440,309. With inflation set to zero the future and today’s totals are the same, about $2,038 a month.
10-year-old, three-child family
Eight years remain (ages 10–17) at $16,900 a year, reduced 24% for a larger family to $12,844 — $102,752 in today’s dollars. With 3% yearly inflation it comes to about $114,213.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to raise a child to 18?+
The USDA’s most recent estimate, from 2015, is $233,610 for a middle-income, two-child married couple raising a child through age 17, in 2015 dollars. Adjusted for inflation since then it is considerably higher, and costs vary widely by income and location.
What is the biggest expense in raising a child?+
Housing. In the USDA study it made up 29% of child-rearing costs for middle-income families, followed by food at 18% and child care and education at 16% for families that pay for it.
Do only children cost more?+
Per child, yes. USDA found that one-child married-couple families spend about 27% more on their only child than two-child families spend on each child, while families with three or more children spend about 24% less per child.
Does the cost of raising a child include college?+
No. The USDA estimates and this calculator cover birth through age 17 only. College, as well as the parents’ lost earnings and time, are separate costs.
At what age are children most expensive?+
It depends on childcare. Before full-day school, childcare can be the largest single cost. Otherwise USDA found spending generally rises with age, with food and transportation highest in the teenage years.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial advice. Rates, fees and terms vary — confirm with your lender or a licensed advisor before making decisions.