Which U.S. states have the highest and lowest cost of raising a child?

Jorge Salcedo // Shutterstock When it comes to two working parents raising one child, the median annual cost across all states is $22,850 – but the range of costs from state to state can vary and even be much higher. In fact, it costs twice as much in some states as compared with others.  With this in mind, SmartAsset set out to find where it’s most and least expensive for working parents to raise a child, ranking states by additional annual costs for the needs of a child. Key Findings Raising a child costs almost $36,000 per year in Massachusetts. Massachusetts has the highest annual costs for two working adults raising a small child at $35,841. More than half of this cost is attributed to childcare ($21,503), which is the highest of any state. Raising a child up to the age of 18 costs $439,000 more in Massachusetts than Mississippi. The savings between the top 10 most expensive states and the 10 least expensive states to raise a child ranges from $180,000 to $439,000. Additional housing for a child costs most in Hawaii and California. Adding a child to a two-worker household costs an additional $6,188 per year in Hawaii, and an additional $5,573 in California.  Childcare costs more than $15,000 per year in these states. After Massachusetts, Hawaii ($19,592), Connecticut ($19,554), New York ($17,821), Colorado ($16,620), Minnesota ($15,722) and Washington ($15,463) have the most expensive childcare costs. Raising a child costs less than $18,000 per year in three states. For working parents, raising a child is least expensive in Mississippi at $16,151 annually. It has the most affordable childcare costs at $4,725 per year. All additional necessities for a child run an estimated $17,424 per year in Arkansas, and $17,918 in Louisiana. Most Expensive States to Raise a Child SmartAsset Massachusetts Annual cost of a child: $35,841 Food: $2,193 Childcare: $21,503 Medical costs: $2,347 Additional housing: $4,983 Transportation: $2,944 Other necessities: $1,871 Hawaii Annual cost of a child: $35,049 Food: $2,481 Childcare: $19,592 Medical costs: $1,569 Additional housing: $6,188 Transportation: $3,305 Other necessities: $1,915 Connecticut Annual cost of a child: $32,803 Food: $2,111 Childcare: $19,554 Medical costs: $2,060 Additional housing: $4,139 Transportation: $3,069 Other necessities: $1,871 Colorado Annual cost of a child: $30,425 Food: $2,035 Childcare: $16,620 Medical costs: $2,329 Additional housing: $4,166 Transportation: $2,905 Other necessities: $1,915 New York Annual cost of a child: $30,247 Food: $2,141 Childcare: $17,821 Medical costs: $2,442 Additional housing: $3,543 Transportation: $2,430 Other necessities: $1,871 California Annual cost a small child: $29,468 Food: $2,023 Childcare: $14,433 Medical costs: $2,319 Additional housing: $5,573 Transportation: $3,205 Other necessities: $1,915 New Hampshire Annual cost of a child: $27,849 Food: $2,031 Childcare: $13,461 Medical costs: $2,543 Additional housing: $4,656 Transportation: $3,287 Other necessities: $1,871 Washington Annual cost of a child: $27,806 Food: $2,109 Childcare: $15,463 Medical costs: $1,287 Additional housing: $4,047 Transportation: $2,987 Other necessities: $1,915 Rhode Island Annual cost of a child: $27,630 Food: $2,127 Childcare: $14,498 Medical costs: $2,486 Additional housing: $3,753 Transportation: $2,896 Other necessities: $1,871 Minnesota Annual cost of a child: $27,406 Food: $2,075 Childcare: $15,722 Medical costs: $1,567 Additional housing: $3,225 Transportation: $3,041 Other necessities: $1,777 Least Expensive States to Raise a Child Mississippi Annual cost of a child: $16,151 Food: $1,783 Childcare: $4,725 Medical costs: $2,932 Additional housing: $2,026 Transportation: $3,259 Other necessities: $1,426 Arkansas Annual cost of a child: $17,424 Food: $1,735 Childcare: $7,337 Medical costs: $1,671 Additional housing: $2,113 Transportation: $3,142 Other necessities: $1,426 Louisiana Annual cost of a child: $17,918 Food: $1,855 Childcare: $7,864 Medical costs: $1,457 Additional housing: $2,239 Transportation: $3,076 Other necessities: $1,426 Kentucky Annual cost of a child: $18,588 Food: $1,704 Childcare: $7,715 Medical costs: $2,137 Additional housing: $2,468 Transportation: $3,138 Other necessities: $1,426 Alabama Annual cost of a child: $18,653 Food: $1,897 Childcare: $8,078 Medical costs: $1,889 Additional housing: $2,203 Transportation: $3,161 Other necessities: $1,426 South Dakota Annual cost of a child: $19,008 Food: $1,941 Childcare: $7,727 Medical costs: $1,795 Additional housing: $2,488 Transportation: $3,281 Other necessities: $1,777 Kansas Annual cost of a child: $19,494 Food: $1,900 Childcare: $8,706 Medical costs: $1,514 Additional housing: $2,463 Transportation: $3,134 Other necessities: $1,777 Tennessee Annual cost of a child: $19,525 Food: $1,920 Childcare: $8,547 Medical costs: $2,271 Additional housing: $2,249 Transportation: $3,110 Other necessities: $1,426 Oklahoma Annual cost of a child: $19,535 Food: $1,836 Childcare: $8,986 Medical costs: $1,558 Additional housing: $2,501 Transportation: $3,228 Other necessities: $1,426 West Virginia Annual cost of a child: $19,558 Food: $1,717 Childcare: $8,578 Medical costs: $2,583 Additional housing: $2,154 Transportation: $3,099 Other necessities: $1,426 Data and Methodology SmartAsset used MIT Living Wage Calculator data to compare the living costs of a household with two working adults and one child to that of a childless household with two working adults. The data is as of February 2024. Costs include additions for food, housing, childcare, healthcare, transportation and other necessities. This story was produced by SmartAsset and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.