Based on US Department of Agriculture data, adjusted for today's prices. Pick your household income, add your number of children, and see the real total to age 18, plus where the money goes and what college adds.
USDA estimate, inflation-adjusted, one child, birth to 18, before college.
| Household income | Total to 18 | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower income (under ~$62k) | $241,000 | $13,389 | $1,116 |
| Middle income (~$62k to $107k) | $322,000 | $17,889 | $1,491 |
| Higher income (over ~$107k) | $505,000 | $28,056 | $2,338 |
Usually a little less each. Children share bedrooms, clothes and toys get handed down, and food and childcare can be bought in bulk or bundled, so per-child costs typically fall as families grow. This tool trims later children slightly to reflect that.
Housing, by far, at around 29% of the total for a middle-income family, because a bigger home or extra bedroom is expensive. Food (about 18%) and childcare and education (about 16%) come next. Cutting childcare costs, where possible, moves the total the most.
Not in the base figure, because college varies enormously. Tick the box to add a rough $110,000 per child for four years of in-state public college including living costs. Private or out-of-state college can be two to three times that.