A LendingTree study found that, on average, it costs $303,418 to raise a child over 18 years. Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock A LendingTree study looked at the average annual cost of raising a small child in each US state. Hawaii was ranked the most expensive state to raise a child in 2026. On average, parents in the US spend 21.9% of their income on child-rearing costs each year. As you write your Mother's Day card this year, you may want to add one more thank you: for the thousands of dollars it took to raise you. Beyond the time, care, and love that go into parenting, raising a child in the US comes with a steep financial cost, and in some states, that price tag is far higher than in others. A LendingTree study released in April found that it costs US parents an average of $303,418 to raise a child over 18 years. Parents spend an average of 21.9% of their income on child-rearing costs each year, a slight decrease from 22.6% in LendingTree's 2025 study. While the costs vary by state, one factor remains constant: the rising cost of childcare during the workday, which is often the largest expense related to having a child. "Our data from last year showed that in 45 states and DC, if you have two kids, what you pay for childcare on average exceeds [your] mortgage," Sandra Bishop, the senior director of research for Child Care Aware of America, a national nonprofit organization focused on helping families across the country access affordable childcare, told Business Insider in 2025. Bishop says this isn't a new trend. Since Childcare Aware began tracking costs in 2000, the cost of childcare has remained "a major expense for families," she said. On average, the price of childcare has increased every year that Childcare Aware has tracked it. "[About] 70 to 80% of what it costs to provide childcare is staff costs," Bishop said. "As the cost of living goes up, so does the cost of care." LendingTree's study looked at the impact of raising a young child in categories like rent, food, and transportation by measuring the difference between costs for a two-person household and a two-person household with a child. For day care and apparel costs, researchers looked at the average annual costs that families face in each state. To calculate the estimated costs of raising a child in every state, LendingTree used data from sources including the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics' consumer expenditure surveys, Child Care Aware of America's Price of Care report, and the IRS, among others. Here's the annual cost of raising a young child in each state (and Washington, DC) and how each state ranks compared to the rest of the country, with 51 being the cheapest and 1 being the most expensive. 51. Mississippi Jackson, Mississippi SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images Annual average cost of raising a child: $17,148 Annual average day care costs: $7,696 Average food costs: $1,842 Mississippi is the cheapest US state to raise a child in 2026. The state's ranking is largely helped by its low day care costs, which ranked lowest out of all states in the study. Parents in the state also see some of the lowest apparel, food, and health insurance premium costs, keeping the total annual price tag well below the national average. Over 18 years, Mississippi has the fourth-lowest projected child-rearing cost in the country, at $208,621. 50. Alabama Alabama has the third-lowest life expectancy in the US. Cavan-Images/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $18,019 Annual day care costs: $8,632 Food costs: $1,923 Alabama ranks as the second-cheapest state for raising a small child in the US, with day care costs in the state tied for the second-lowest in the country. The state also offers the highest tax credit or exemption value in the study, helping lower the overall cost for parents. Parents in Alabama spend about 16.7% of their income on the costs of raising a small child, the seventh-lowest share nationwide. 49. South Dakota Sioux Falls, South Dakota Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $18,622 Annual day care costs: $8,632 Food costs: $1,922 South Dakota's child-rearing affordability is driven largely by low day care costs in the state, which are tied with Alabama for the second-lowest in the country. Parents in South Dakota also spend 15.4% of their income on the costs of raising a child, the third-lowest share among all states. 48. South Carolina Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $18,910 Annual day care costs: $10,474 Food costs: $1,862 Its relatively low day care costs and a sizable tax credit or exemption help South Carolina rank among the cheapest states for raising a small child in 2026. The state also has negative added rent costs in the report, meaning households with children paid less in rent than households without children, per LendingTree's analysis. Over 18 years, South Carolina has the third-lowest projected child-rearing cost in the country, at $204,213. 47. Arkansas Jonathannsegal/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $19,204 Annual day care costs: $9,178 Food costs: $1,771 Arkansas is one of only four states where annual infant day care costs are under $10,000, helping keep the state near the bottom of the overall cost ranking. The state also has the lowest apparel costs and the fifth-lowest food costs in the study. Parents in Arkansas spend an average of 18.8% of their income on the costs of raising a child. 46. Georgia atlanta Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $20,365 Annual day care costs: $11,066 Food costs: $1,955 With relatively low day care, rent, and apparel costs and one of the largest tax credits or exemptions in the study, Georgia ranks among the most affordable states to raise a small child in 2026. Parents in Georgia spend 16.3% of their income on the costs of raising a child, the fourth-lowest share in the country. 45. Texas f11photo/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $20,968 Annual day care costs: $11,349 Food costs: $1,718 Texas is the cheapest of the four most populous US states for raising a small child. The state has the lowest food costs in the country, as well as relatively low rent and day care costs compared with other large states. Parents in Texas spend 16.5% of their income on child-related costs, the fifth-lowest share nationwide. 44. Iowa Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $21,137 Annual day care costs: $12,694 Food costs: $1,872 Iowa remains one of the more affordable states for raising a small child, with costs continuing to decrease. The state saw annual costs fall 3.1% from last year's report, one of the biggest declines in the study. Parents in Iowa spend 17.6% of their income on the costs of raising a child, tied with Connecticut for the eighth-lowest share in the country. 43. Oklahoma Oklahoma City, OK located in Oklahoma County Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Annual cost of raising a child: $21,218 Annual day care costs: $10,809 Food costs: $1,846 Oklahoma's added rent costs are higher than those of many other lower-cost states, though lower food, apparel, and day care costs help keep child-rearing costs low in the state. Parents in Oklahoma spend 19.9% of their income on the costs of raising a small child. 42. Louisiana Louisiana has the fourth-lowest life expectancy in the US. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $21,303 Annual day care costs: $10,847 Food costs: $1,859 Louisiana ranks among the top ten cheapest states for raising a child in 2026, with relatively low day care, rent, and apparel costs. Health insurance premiums are a bigger pressure point for parents in the state, ranking among the highest costs in the country. Parents in Louisiana spend 20.2% of their income on the costs of raising a child. 41. West Virginia Harpers Ferry, West Virginia Firepphotography1/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $21,651 Annual day care costs: $10,439 Food costs: $1,772 Despite having the third-highest insurance premiums in the US, West Virginia's lower day care costs help keep the state among the most affordable for overall annual child-rearing costs. Parents in West Virginia spend 22.1% of their income on child-rearing costs. 40. New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico Daniel A. Leifheit/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $21,909 Annual day care costs: $13,521 Food costs: $1,825 Thanks to low food, apparel, day care, and health insurance premiums, New Mexico ranks among the cheapest US states to raise a child in 2026. The state also saw annual costs fall 3.9% from last year's report, one of the biggest declines in the study. Over 18 years, New Mexico has the seventh-lowest projected child-rearing cost, at $218,588. 39. Kentucky Frankfort, Kentucky DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $22,097 Annual day care costs: $12,740 Food costs: $1,759 Despite having some of the lowest overall child-rearing costs in the country, parents in Kentucky are seeing costs rise, with the state seeing annual costs rise 15.4% from last year's report — the seventh-largest increase nationwide. Parents in the state spend 20.9% of their income on child-rearing costs. 38. Ohio Dayton, Ohio Laura Mckenzie Waters/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $22,409 Annual day care costs: $13,780 Food costs: $1,887 Ohio's annual child-rearing costs are below the national average, and its health insurance premiums rank lowest in the country. Parents in Ohio spend 18.9% of their income on the costs of raising a child, tied with Michigan. 37. Tennessee Tennessee is known as "The Volunteer State" because of the thousands of volunteers from the state that participated in the War of 1812. Grindstone Media Group/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $22,545 Annual day care costs: $13,126 Food costs: $1,970 Tennessee ranks below the national average for annual child-rearing costs, and the state has one of the lowest added rent costs in the study. Health insurance premiums, however, are a larger expense for parents in the state, ranking among the highest nationwide. Parents in Tennessee spend 19.6% of their income on raising a small child. 36. Michigan Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $22,673 Annual day care costs: $13,454 Food costs: $1,860 Michigan, which has relatively low food, rent, and apparel costs, ranks near the bottom of the ranking. The state also benefits from one of the larger tax credits or exemptions in the study. Parents in Michigan spend 18.9% of their income on the costs of raising a small child, the same share as in Ohio. 35. North Carolina Photo by Mike Kline (notkalvin)/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $22,712 Annual day care costs: $12,370 Food costs: $1,925 North Carolina's total annual costs are below the national average, although health insurance premiums rank among the 10 highest in the study. The state's annual costs rose 9.1% from last year's report, and its projected 18-year costs rose 15.1%. 34. Nevada Frenchman Mountain, Nevada simonkr/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $22,751 Annual day care costs: $12,659 Food costs: $1,912 Nevada, one of the most urban states in the country, is also considered a childcare desert, according to a 2023 report by the Nevada Governor's Office of Workforce Innovation, due to the lack of options and the high demand for available centers. Parents in the state pay an average of $12,659 on day care annually, according to the LendingTree study. 33. New Hampshire Mihai_Andritoiu/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $22,805 Annual day care costs: $16,040 Food costs: $2,037 New Hampshire saw the biggest annual cost drop in the country since last year's report, falling 19.5%. The state also has the lowest projected 18-year cost of child rearing among US states, at $201,963. Parents in New Hampshire spend 14.9% of their income on the costs of raising a small child, the second-lowest share nationwide. 32. Idaho Boise, Idaho. CSNafzger/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $23,107 Annual day care costs: $10,608 Food costs: $2,056 Despite low overall costs, Idaho parents face higher pressure with added rent and transportation costs, both of which rank near the top 20 nationwide. 31. North Dakota Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $23,278 Annual day care costs: $12,299 Food costs: $1,885 North Dakota's annual child-rearing costs fell 9.9% from last year's report, the second-biggest drop in the study. The state also saw projected 18-year costs fall 20.3%, one of only two drops of at least 20%. Parents still face relatively high added rent and transportation costs, though lower day care and insurance premium costs help lower the overall annual costs. 30. Wyoming Cheyenne, Wyoming. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $23,789 Annual day care costs: $12,784 Food costs: $1,940 Wyoming's overall annual costs fell 1.9% from last year's report, while projected 18-year costs dropped 10.5%. Transportation costs are one of the state's biggest pressure points for parents, ranking among the five highest in the country. Parents in Wyoming spend 19.7% of their income on raising a child. 29. Missouri Kansas City, Missouri. Shutterstock.com Annual cost of raising a child: $24,473 Annual day care costs: $13,780 Food costs: $1,918 Missouri's food, apparel, and health insurance premium costs all fall in the lower half of the study, helping overall affordability in the state. Parents in Missouri spend 20.9% of their income on raising a small child, tying with Kentucky. 28. Pennsylvania Abbamonte isn't a fan of the local delicacy Philadelphia is known for. Jon Lovette / Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $24,626 Annual day care costs: $14,910 Food costs: $1,990 Pennsylvania's day care and rent costs are moderate compared with those of other states. Costs in the state rose 5.8% from the previous year's report, highlighting the increased pressure on parents. Parents in Pennsylvania spend 18.8% of their income on raising a small child, below the national average. 27. Florida Shutterstock / Sean Pavone Annual cost of raising a child: $24,968 Annual day care costs: $13,011 Food costs: $2,039 Florida is the second-cheapest of the four most populous US states for raising a small child, ranking behind Texas. Day care costs are relatively low compared with other large states, but parents face the highest health insurance premium costs in the country. Over 18 years, Florida's projected child-rearing costs are $280,280. 26. Delaware Delaware was ranked the fifth-happiest state in the country. Real Window Creative/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $25,108 Annual day care costs: $16,617 Food costs: $1,956 Delaware's annual costs are driven mostly by high day care and health insurance premiums, which rank among the highest in the country. However, households with children, on average, pay less in rent than households without children, according to LendingTree. Parents in the state spend 19% of their income on raising a small child, tied with New Jersey. 25. Utah Park City, Utah. Sean Pavone/Getty Images/iStockphoto Annual cost of raising a child: $25,588 Annual day care costs: $14,160 Food costs: $1,890 Utah saw annual costs rise 17.5% from last year's report, the fifth-biggest increase in the study. The state's added rent and transportation costs are among the bigger drivers of the annual total. Parents in Utah spend 18.7% of their income on raising a child. 24. Vermont Montpelier, Vermont. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $26,259 Annual day care costs: $18,710 Food costs: $2,175 Parents in Vermont, which in 2022 was ranked the most rural state in the country according to census data, see some of the highest day care and food costs in the country, but also benefit from relatively low rents and a high tax credit or exemption. Vermont's annual costs fell 5.2% from last year's report, the third-biggest drop in the study. 23. Indiana Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $26,576 Annual day care costs: $16,478 Food costs: $1,766 Indiana's annual costs rose 11.7% from last year's report, one of the top in the study. Food costs are among the lowest in the country, but day care, rent, and transportation push the overall total higher. Parents in Indiana spend 23.2% of their income on raising a small child, the third-highest share nationwide. 22. Virginia Kyle Little/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $26,915 Annual day care costs: $16,796 Food costs: $2,032 Virginia's annual costs rose just 0.9% from last year's report, one of the smallest increases in the study. Higher average family income helps lower the burden, with parents spending 17.7% of their income on raising a child. 21. Rhode Island Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $27,003 Annual day care costs: $18,486 Food costs: $2,106 Rhode Island's annual costs are largely driven by day care, which ranks among the highest in the country. The state also has higher food and apparel costs, though parents get some relief from a tax credit or exemption. Parents in Rhode Island spend 19.4% of their income on raising a small child. 20. Wisconsin marchello74/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $27,047 Annual day care costs: $17,963 Food costs: $1,938 Wisconsin had the fourth-biggest annual cost increase in the country, up 23.3% from last year's report. The state also saw projected 18-year costs rise 16%, one of the largest jumps in the study. Day care is the biggest expense for parents, with annual totals adding up to an average of $17,963. 19. Montana Bozeman, Montana. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $27,220 Annual day care costs: $15,080 Food costs: $1,952 Lacking sufficient childcare options for the number of children, the state of Montana is considered a "childcare desert," according to a January 2024 report by the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. On average, Montana parents spend $15,080 on childcare each year, according to the LendingTree study. Parents in Montana also spend 22.6% of their income on raising a small child, one of the highest shares in the study. And the costs are only going up. The state had the second-biggest annual cost increase in the country, up 24.5% from last year's report. 18. Maine Portland, Maine. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $27,448 Annual day care costs: $15,730 Food costs: $2,064 Parents in Maine face relatively high added costs for rent, transportation, and health insurance premiums, though the state's tax credit or exemption helps offset some of the total. Maine had the third-biggest annual cost increase in the country, up 24.4% from last year's report. The state also saw projected 18-year costs rise 19.8%, the fourth-largest increase in the study. 17. Kansas Overland Park, Kansas Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $27,793 Annual day care costs: $15,156 Food costs: $1,904 Parents in Kansas pay the third-highest added rent costs in the country. Projected 18-year costs in the state top $303,000, and the state tied Alaska for the biggest increase in projected 18-year costs, up 23.5% from last year's report. 16. Illinois The skyline of Chicago. Illinois is considering a millionaires tax to alleviate some of the country's highest property taxes. Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call Annual cost of raising a child: $27,906 Annual day care costs: $19,807 Food costs: $1,986 Illinois' annual costs rose 14.6% from last year's report, tying Arizona for the ninth-biggest increase. Day care is the biggest pressure point for parents in the state, with costs nearing $20,000 a year. Parents see some relief on rent, with Illinois ranking much lower in that category than many other states near the top of the overall list. 15. Arizona Phoenix, Arizona 4kodiak/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $27,917 Annual day care costs: $15,964 Food costs: $1,834 Arizona's annual costs rose 14.6% from last year's report, tying Illinois for the ninth-biggest increase. Parents in the state have the fifth-highest added rent costs in the country, and spend 22.3% of their income on raising a small child, one of the highest shares nationwide. 14. Oregon Portland, Oregon © Allard Schager/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $28,393 Annual day care costs: $19,500 Food costs: $2,096 Oregon's annual costs rose 8.8% from last year's report, and day care is the biggest expense for parents, at $19,500 a year. The state's tax credit or exemption is one of the larger ones in the study, helping offset some of those higher costs. 13. Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $29,024 Annual day care costs: $12,107 Food costs: $2,344 Alaska ranks 13th for annual costs during the first five years, but over 18 years, it becomes the second-most expensive state in the country, per the LendingTree study. The state has the highest added rent and transportation costs in the study, as well as the third-highest food costs. Alaska tied Kansas for the biggest jump in projected 18-year costs, up 23.5% from last year's report. 12. Minnesota Minnesota received a top-five ranking for work environment. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $29,322 Annual day care costs: $20,421 Food costs: $2,077 Minnesota remains expensive for parents, largely because of high day care costs that add up to more than $20,000 a year. The state offers one of the largest tax credits or exemptions in the study, helping bring down the overall annual total. Annual costs fell 1.9% from last year's report, and projected 18-year costs also declined. 11. Nebraska Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $29,491 Annual day care costs: $18,147 Food costs: $1,875 Nebraska had the biggest annual cost increase in the country, up 27.4% from last year's report. The state also has the second-highest income burden, with parents spending 23.5% of their income on raising a small child. 10. Connecticut The average life expectancy in Connecticut is 79.2 years. f11photo/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $29,674 Annual day care costs: $18,492 Food costs: $2,057 Connecticut ranks among the 10 most expensive US states for raising a small child in 2026, with day care costs driving much of the total. Higher average family income softens the burden, with parents spending 17.6% of their income on raising a child. 9. District of Columbia halbergman/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $30,146 Annual day care costs: $26,193 Food costs: $2,432 The District of Columbia has the highest food costs and second-highest day care costs in the study. It also has the second-highest apparel costs, but parents see major relief on rent, with households with children paying less than those without. The district has the lowest income burden in the country, with parents spending 13.9% of their income on raising a small child. 8. New York New York. Alexander Spatari/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $30,209 Annual day care costs: $20,439 Food costs: $2,157 New York is one of the most expensive US states for raising a small child in 2026, with day care costs reaching above $20,000 a year. Food and apparel costs are also among the highest in the country. 7. Colorado Denver, Colorado Brad McGinley Photography/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $31,000 Annual day care costs: $20,978 Food costs: $2,045 Ranked as the seventh-most-expensive state to raise a child in 2026, Colorado has an average annual day care cost of just under $21,000, among the highest in the study. Parents in Colorado spend 20.3% of their income on raising a small child, tied with Washington and Florida. 6. Washington Seattle, Washington simonkr/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $31,937 Annual day care costs: $21,348 Food costs: $2,115 Washington remains one of the most expensive states for parents, with day care costs ranking sixth-highest in the country. Annual costs fell 1.5% from last year's report, making Washington one of 11 states where costs declined. 5. New Jersey The average life expectancy in New Jersey is 79.0 years. Leonid Andronov/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $31,948 Annual day care costs: $20,213 Food costs: $2,068 New Jersey ranks fifth for both annual child-rearing costs and projected 18-year costs. Day care and added rent are the biggest drivers, and apparel costs rank third-highest in the country. Parents in New Jersey spend 19% of their income on raising a small child. 4. California Oakland, California Nicholas Klein/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $33,692 Annual day care costs: $22,628 Food costs: $2,024 While parenting in California comes with a high price tag in some areas, parents also experience relief compared to other states, including relatively low added rent costs and higher tax credits or exemptions. Parents in California face the highest apparel costs in the country, as well as the second-highest health insurance premiums. The state also has the fifth-highest average day care costs, according to the report. 3. Massachusetts The Charles River in Boston. Cavan Images/Getty Images/Cavan Images RF Annual cost of raising a child: $34,247 Annual day care costs: $26,343 Food costs: $2,185 Massachusetts has the highest infant day care costs in the country, at $26,343 annually. Food costs also rank near the top, though the households with children in the state paid less in rent than households without children, per the LendingTree study. 2. Maryland Maryland received top-10 rankings in every category. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock Annual cost of raising a child: $36,419 Annual day care costs: $25,321 Food costs: $2,070 Maryland is the second-most expensive US state for raising a small child, with day care costs ranking third-highest nationwide. The state also saw annual costs rise 15.2% from the previous year's report, the eighth-biggest jump in the study. 1. Hawaii Hawaii. Mint Images/Getty Images Annual cost of raising a child: $40,342 Annual day care costs: $24,115 Food costs: $2,391 Hawaii is the most expensive state in the country to raise a child in 2026, leading the list by nearly $4,000 in annual costs. Parents in the state face some of the highest costs across several categories, including rent, food, transportation, day care, and health insurance premiums. Hawaii also has the highest income burden in the country, with parents spending about 27.4% of their income on child-rearing costs. Editor's note: This story was first published in May 2025 and most recently updated in May 2026. Read the original article on Business Insider