The cost of having a child in 2024 can range anywhere from $6,000 to $13,000 with insurance, according to experts. Very Very Diapers analyzed the cost of giving birth in all 50 U.S. states and found that total costs including prenatal care, delivery, postnatal care, rent increase, and annual child care can range from about $6,000 to well over $13,000. Alaska tops the list as the most expensive state to have a baby, with a total cost of $13,244, while Alabama is the least expensive state at $6,191.
For dual-income households in the U.S., sending two young children to full-time daycare can be significantly more expensive than the average rent in the nation’s 100 largest metros. A study by LendingTree found that the average monthly cost of full-time center-based child care for an infant and a 4-year-old is $2,182, which is 40% higher than the average monthly cost of renting a two-bedroom unit, at $1,566. In 91 of the 100 largest metros, the cost of child care for two children exceeds the monthly rent, and in nine of those metros, child care costs are double rent costs.
The data also considered the cost of annual child care and the increase in rent from a one-bedroom to a two-bedroom apartment when analyzing the overall cost of having a baby in each state. The most expensive states to give birth in, after Alaska, include Florida, Wisconsin, New Jersey, New York, and Illinois, with costs ranging from $11,938 to $9,508. On the other end of the spectrum, after Alabama, the least expensive states to give birth in include Rhode Island, Arkansas, Nebraska, Montana, Louisiana, Utah, New Mexico, Maine, and Hawaii, with costs ranging from $6,343 to $7,029.
The rising costs of child care are a significant financial burden for many families across the U.S. The average monthly cost of full-time center-based child care for one infant is $1,218, which is just 22.2% less expensive than renting a two-bedroom apartment. In most major metros, the cost of child care for two children exceeds the monthly rent, with some metros seeing child care costs double rent costs. This poses a challenge for dual-income households who rely on child care, unless they have trusted family or friends available to help.
In conclusion, the cost of having a child in 2024 can be substantial, with expenses ranging from $6,000 to over $13,000, depending on the state. Child care costs are also a significant financial burden for many families, with the average monthly cost of full-time center-based care for two children exceeding the average monthly rent in most major metros. This highlights the challenges faced by dual-income households who rely on child care services, further adding to the financial strain of raising a family.
