Raising A Child Now Costs Over $300,000

A new study finds that the costs of raising a child in the U.S. are going up.

According to LendingTree's 2026 report, expenses associated with raising a child are more than 300-thousand dollars, which is up nearly two percent from last year's report.

LendingTree found that over the last year 14 states saw year-over-year cost increases of up to ten percent.

Hawaii, Maryland and Massachusetts top the list for the most expensive states to raise a child.

Rhode Island came in number 21. The report daycare in the state averages out to more than 18 thousand dollars a year.

The analysis also indicated the overall 18-year cost has gone up nearly 28 percent since 2023.

(Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)