The Eye-Watering Cost To Raise A Child In California

CALIFORNIA — Raising a child is expensive, especially in California.

The annual cost of raising a child in the Golden State has surged to $30,059, the fifth-most in the country, according to a new study by LendingTree. That's up from $25,680 in 2023, the last time LendingTree conducted the study.

The state's 18-year cost also saw a significant jump, climbing from $225,627 in 2023 to $286,951 in 2025. That's the eighth-highest in the U.S.

"Californians have been hit with a massive spike in the annual cost of raising a child, making an already difficult financial situation for many families far more challenging," LendingTree's chief consumer finance analyst Matt Schulz told Patch. "Unfortunately, these costs are unlikely to do anything but continue to rise in the near future. That's going to force Californians to make some tough decisions and some very real sacrifices."

The team at the online lending marketplace analyzed the average annual cost of raising a child, factoring in child-specific and household expenses such as child care and rent, to determine where it's most and least expensive to raise a child.

The annual costs associated with raising a child in the country jumped 35.7% in the past two years. Annual expenses minus tax exemptions or credits total $29,419, up from $21,681 in 2023.

Nationwide, the cost of raising a child over 18 years is $297,674, according to the report. That's a 25.3% increase since the last study.

"No one should be surprised that costs have risen in recent years, but the type of growth we've seen in child care costs is on a whole other level," Schulz said. "There are plenty of reasons for the growth, including inflation, growing labor costs, and rising demand. However, whatever the reason, this growth is making an already challenging aspect of parenthood that much worse."

Hawaii is the most expensive state to raise a child, with annual costs at $36,472 and 18-year costs reaching $362,891, according to the report. Mississippi is the least expensive state to raise a child, with annual costs at $16,490 — nearly $20,000 less than in Hawaii. In Mississippi, 18-year costs are at $190,402.

Read the full report here.

Patch Parents is written by Patch Editor Kristina Houck, a mom of three boys. Have a story idea? Email kristina.houck@patch.com.