A middle-income family can expect to spend $291,570 including inflation to raise a child born in 2008 to adulthood, the government estimated on Tuesday, up slightly from the estimate made a year ago.
The estimate covers food, shelter and other necessities for a child to age 18, said the annual report by the Agriculture Department. The figure does not include the cost of childbirth or college.
Housing accounts for one-third of expenditures on children. Food accounts for 16 percent, the same as child care and education, said the Expenditures on Children by Families report.
Last year, the USDA estimated it would cost $269,040 to raise a child born in 2007 to age 18, including inflation. The USDA has made the estimates since 1960, when the estimated cost was $25,300. The department said it planned to have an updated “Cost of Raising a Child Calculator” on the Internet soon.
Annual spending for child-rearing ranges from $11,610 to $13,480 for a middle-income, two-parent family, the USDA said. Families with lower incomes will spend less and families with higher incomes spend more. Expenses are highest in cities in the U.S. Northeast, followed by urban areas of the West and Midwest. They are lowest in rural America and cities in the South.
(Source: Reuters)
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12 Responses
And of course the cost of raising a frum child is what? — triple that figure?
But does it take into account the savings of using “hand me downs” and the economies of scale in a family of eight to twelve rather than three and a half (the half goes woof). Does it take into account how the formula for financial aid for colleges gives a tremendous benefit to having many siblings. Does it reflect how most human service agencies substantially reduce fees (e.g. tuition) for additional children?
These figures are for “one child” advocates who use the data to favor Chinese-style restrictions (e.g. mandatory “fixing” of women after the first child). Don’t give them much credibility.
If it costs $12K to raise a child, ask why it is that many children whose families lack $12K per child don’t have to euthanize the kid – or why their starved naked bodies aren’t picked up off the streets? Be skeptical of statistics and ask how well they are descriving the real world?
assuming a 50 year career, at an average salary of $50K, a person born today can expect to earn about several million dollars – and 10-1 return on investment
Forget stocks and bonds – invest in a family
I fail to see what the point is. Life cost! The Rabbono Shel Olem that gives us children also gives us parnasa. Are they just trying to help people budget or is their intention to try to discourage people from having kids?
Ashreichem to all the families who have many children! They invest in tikun haolam, and spend millions upon millions on their kids instead of hoarding it like the foolish lonely wealthy yuppies.
Hispanics generally have many children, and in general no Hispanic can hope to earn that kind of money. Who pays for them? Gracias, American taxpayers.
That’s more than my husband earned in 25 years of child raising and we have more than 10 kids. Yidden don’t live al pi teva.
That figure has to be low! I cant see how this could be spread over those years. I guess they dont take inzer tuition costs in mind.
basmelech – thats probably because your on all the social programs. Not saying anything against you – but please realize who is paying for it
To #6: Stop kvetching about hispanics. There are millions of Hispanics in this country that are legalized, and are no different than me and you. Your ancestors also immigrated to America. Regarding the illegal ones, if you want them to pay taxes then advocate legalizing them.
And if you think that by legalizing them, they’ll take away your parnoso, then you have a serious issue with bitachon, and that is nothing short of midas sdom.
To #7: Has your husband paid full tuition for all your 10 kids? If not, then stop saying that it’s not al pi teva. IT IS al pi teva, only that someone else has paid your bills and you just don’t have the mentschlichkeit to acknowledge and appreciate it.
TO #2: Regarding your question in the last paragraph, there are 2 answers: Welfare and Charity.
In places that don’t have either one, you do see the results you mentioned.
#6– many Hispanics with large families are illegals meaning they don’t get welfare – instead they work hard (note the complaints that they work harder than native born Americans, resulting in unemployment among lazy natives). They also have a frugal lifestyle emphasizing family values (actually, like most frum people). THis shows that the government “figure” on costs is a bunch of what comes from the rear end of a male bovine (and I’m not referring to any greenhouse gas).