‘Almost unmanageable’: Raising a child in the U.S. now costs more than $300,000

The experience of being a parent may be priceless. But the reality is there’s a price tag on raising a child, and it’s up in the hundreds of thousands. 

The average cost of raising a child over the course of 18 years in the U.S. has reached $303,418, according to a new study from LendingTree. 

The total cost varies widely by state. Hawaii is the most expensive state to raise a child, with LendingTree projecting a price tag of $412,661. Alaska and Maryland follow behind with $365,047 and $326,360, respectively. Meanwhile, New Hampshire is the cheapest state to raise a child, costing $201,963, less than half the price of Hawaii. Washington, D.C.—which offers free preschool for three- and four-year-olds—and South Carolina come in second and third place for the least expensive places to raise a child. 

The cost of raising a child is up 1.9% from a year ago due to significant increases to rent and clothing costs. LendingTree found that the average rent has spiked from $1,128 from their last survey in 2025 to $1,680 this year, a nearly 50% increase. Clothing costs were up by more than 25% from a year ago. 

“Inflation is just taking a toll, clearly, on people, and it’s........

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