The Department of Agriculture tracks the costs associated with raising a child. They do not include sending that child to college or supporting him/her after age 18, nor do they cover the many wants of a child- just the necessities.
Dual-Parent Family
| Age of Child | Housing | Food | Transportation | Clothing | Health | Child care/ Education | Miscellaneous | Total |
| Before-tax income: up to $39,100 | ||||||||
| 0 to 2 | 2,500 | 910 | 780 | 370 | 460 | 840 | 630 | 6490 |
| 3 to 5 | 2,470 | 1,010 | 750 | 360 | 440 | 820 | 680 | 6,630 |
| 6 to 8 | 2,380 | 1,300 | 880 | 400 | 510 | 560 | 680 | 6,710 |
| 9 to 11 | 2,150 | 1,560 | 950 | 450 | 560 | 340 | 720 | 6,730 |
| 12 to 14 | 2,400 | 1,640 | 1,070 | 750 | 560 | 240 | 900 | 7,560 |
| 15 to 17 | 1,940 | 1,780 | 1,440 | 660 | 600 | 400 | 660 | 7,480 |
| Total | 41,520 | 24,600 | 17,610 | 8,970 | 9,390 | 9,990 | 12,720 | 124,800 |
| Before-tax income: $39,100 to $65,800 | ||||||||
| 0 to 2 | 3,380 | 1,090 | 1,160 | 430 | 610 | 1,380 | 980 | 9,030 |
| 3 to 5 | 3,350 | 1,260 | 1,130 | 420 | 580 | 1,530 | 990 | 9,260 |
| 6 to 8 | 3,260 | 1,600 | 1,260 | 470 | 660 | 980 | 1,030 | 9,260 |
| 9 to 11 | 3,030 | 1,890 | 1,330 | 520 | 720 | 640 | 1,250 | 9,190 |
| 12 to 14 | 3,280 | 1,900 | 1,450 | 870 | 720 | 470 | 1,250 | 9,940 |
| 15 to 17 | 2,820 | 2,110 | 1,840 | 780 | 770 | 810 | 1,010 | 10,140 |
| Total | 57,360 | 29,550 | 24,510 | 10,470 | 12,180 | 17,430 | 18,960 | 170,460 |
| Before-tax income: $65,800 and up | ||||||||
| 0 to 2 | 5,370 | 1,440 | 1,630 | 570 | 700 | 2,090 | 1,630 | 13,430 |
| 3 to 5 | 5,340 | 1,630 | 1,600 | 560 | 670 | 2,270 | 1,650 | 13,720 |
| 6 to 8 | 5,250 | 1,970 | 1,720 | 610 | 770 | 1,560 | 1,690 | 13,570 |
| 9 to 11 | 5,020 | 2,290 | 1,800 | 670 | 820 | 1,090 | 1,720 | 13,410 |
| 12 to 14 | 5,270 | 2,400 | 1,920 | 1,100 | 830 | 840 | 1,900 | 13,170 |
| 15 to 17 | 4,810 | 2,530 | 2,330 | 1,000 | 870 | 1,470 | 1,660 | 14,670 |
| Total | 93,180 | 36,780 | 33,000 | 13,530 | 13,980 | 27,960 | 30,750 | 249,180 |
Single-Parent Family
| Age of Child | Housing | Food | Transportation | Clothing | Health | Child care/ Education | Miscellaneous | Total |
| Before-tax income: up to $39,100 | ||||||||
| 0 to 2 | 2,240 | 1,010 | 730 | 330 | 220 | 530 | 380 | 5,440 |
| 3 to 5 | 2,550 | 1,060 | 640 | 350 | 330 | 720 | 500 | 6,150 |
| 6 to 8 | 2,710 | 1,340 | 740 | 410 | 390 | 650 | 670 | 6,910 |
| 9 to 11 | 2,600 | 1,550 | 530 | 420 | 490 | 310 | 540 | 6,440 |
| 12 to 14 | 2,600 | 1,550 | 620 | 710 | 520 | 400 | 520 | 6,920 |
| 15 to 17 | 2,760 | 1,690 | 970 | 830 | 520 | 300 | 600 | 7,670 |
| Total | 46,380 | 24,600 | 12,690 | 9,150 | 7,410 | 8,730 | 9,630 | 118,590 |
| Before-tax income: $39,100 and up | ||||||||
| 0 to 2 | 4,820 | 1,560 | 2,220 | 470 | 510 | 1,290 | 1,580 | 12,450 |
| 3 to 5 | 4,820 | 1,650 | 2,130 | 500 | 690 | 1,620 | 1,690 | 13,410 |
| 6 to 8 | 5,290 | 1,980 | 2,240 | 570 | 790 | 1,510 | 1,870 | 14,250 |
| 9 to 11 | 5,180 | 2,380 | 2,030 | 580 | 950 | 880 | 1,740 | 13,740 |
| 12 to 14 | 5,190 | 2,380 | 2,110 | 950 | 1,000 | 1,260 | 1,720 | 14,560 |
| 15 to 17 | 5,340 | 2,470 | 2,290 | 1,090 | 990 | 1,030 | 1,800 | 15,010 |
| Total | 92,850 | 37,110 | 39,060 | 12,480 | 14,790 | 22,770 | 31,200 | 250,260 |
So, on the low end, you are looking at $118,590 and the upper end, $249,180. Single parent families traditionally have less to spend on their kids and get by on less. (I wonder if that includes dual-parent households with a single income?)
I would challenge a lot of these numbers as being way too low, especially in the Child Care/Education column. If you have in infant in child care, you are spending a lot more than these numbers- infant child care runs $120-$250 per week in most areas. And the Health Care column? Makes me wonder what kind of awesome insurance these parents have or if they never go to the dentist!
What do you think? Is this chart realistic?
