What Is The High Cost To Raise A Child In Maryland?

MARYLAND — Raising a child is expensive, which Maryland parents know all too well.

The annual cost of raising a child in the Free State has surged to $31,601, the fourth-most in the country, according to a new study by LendingTree.

The state's 18-year cost also saw a significant jump, climbing to $310,040 in 2025. That's also the fourth-highest in the U.S.

The staggering increase in costs for child care and other expenses is terrible news for parents, Matt Schulz, LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst, said.

“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,” he says. “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.”

Here are the top 10 most-expensive states for raising a child per year:

1. Hawaii $36,472
2. Massachusetts $33,004
3. Washington $32,418
4. Maryland $31,601
5. California $30,059
6. Minnesota $29,891
7. New Jersey $29,728
8. New York $29,327
9. District of Columbia $29,186
10. Colorado $28,922

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.

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.

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.

Includes reporting by Patch Editor Kristina Houck.