Raising A Child Now Costs Over $300,000

(Charlotte, NC) – A new study finds that raising a child in the U.S. now costs more than 300-thousand dollars. According to LendingTree’s 2026 report, expenses associated with raising a child are up nearly two percent from last year’s report. LendingTree found that over the last year 14 states saw year-over-year cost increases of up to ten percent. Hawaii, Maryland and Massachusetts top the list for the most expensive states to raise a child.

The analysis also indicated the overall 18-year cost has gone up nearly 28 percent since 2023.