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Mapped: Cost of Raising a Child in Each State in 2025
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Key Takeaways
- Massachusetts ($44K), Connecticut ($42K), and Vermont ($38K) are the most expensive states to raise a child, driven mostly by extra housing, childcare, and healthcare costs.
- Raising a child in Massachusetts costs over twice as much as in Mississippi ($19K).
The cost of raising a child continues to rise across the U.S., but the pace and burden vary widely by state.
This visualization maps the average annual cost of supporting one child in 2025, from housing and food to childcare and healthcare. The data for this visualization comes from SmartAsset. Categories include housing, food, childcare, healthcare, transportation, and taxes.
Families in the most expensive states now face annual costs exceeding $40,000. Meanwhile, several states in the South and Midwest remain significantly more affordable, underscoring how geography plays a defining role in family budgeting.
The Most Expensive States
Massachusetts tops the 2025 list at $44,221 per year, reflecting high childcare prices and some of the steepest housing costs in the country.
Connecticut ($41,808) follows closely, with a similar cost structure. Vermont stands out as the third most expensive state at $38,272, but its ranking is driven by a remarkable 25% jump from the prior year. These northeastern states exemplify how limited childcare capacity and rising medical premiums are pushing annual expenses higher.
| Rank | State | Annual costs, 2025 | Annual costs, 2024 | One-year change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $44,221 | $41,828 | 5.72% |
| 2 | Connecticut | $41,808 | $38,995 | 7.21% |
| 3 | Vermont | $38,272 | $30,542 | 25.31% |
| 4 | California | $35,651 | $33,441 | 6.61% |
| 5 | New Jersey | $35,069 | $30,184 | 16.18% |
| 6 | Washington | $35,027 | $30,671 | 14.20% |
| 7 | Colorado | $34,986 | $34,616 | 1.07% |
| 8 | Hawaii | $33,363 | $41,479 | −19.57% |
| 9 | New York | $33,280 | $34,831 | −4.45% |
| 10 | Minnesota | $33,197 | $31,789 | 4.43% |
| 11 | Oregon | $33,114 | $30,954 | 6.98% |
| 12 | Alaska | $32,947 | $29,538 | 11.54% |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $32,739 | $30,721 | 6.57% |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $32,614 | $31,187 | 4.58% |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $31,741 | $27,859 | 13.93% |
| 16 | Maryland | $31,283 | $27,802 | 12.52% |
| 17 | Montana | $28,954 | $23,514 | 23.13% |
| 18 | Maine | $28,912 | $28,207 | 2.50% |
| 19 | Virginia | $28,330 | $27,293 | 3.80% |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $27,955 | $27,426 | 1.93% |
| 21 | Indiana | $27,914 | $23,837 | 17.10% |
| 22 | Ohio | $27,706 | $25,454 | 8.85% |
| 23 | Illinois | $27,206 | $26,962 | 0.91% |
| 24 | Nevada | $27,123 | $29,603 | −8.38% |
| 25 | Utah | $26,957 | $23,667 | 13.90% |
| 26 | Arizona | $26,624 | $26,659 | −0.13% |
| 27 | Missouri | $26,042 | $22,409 | 16.21% |
| 28 | Nebraska | $25,709 | $25,369 | 1.34% |
| 29 | New Mexico | $25,210 | $22,452 | 12.28% |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $25,210 | $21,567 | 16.89% |
| 31 | North Dakota | $24,752 | $23,297 | 6.25% |
| 32 | Delaware | $24,544 | $29,336 | −16.33% |
| 33 | Idaho | $24,378 | $23,609 | 3.26% |
| 34 | Florida | $24,045 | $22,986 | 4.61% |
| 35 | North Carolina | $23,587 | $24,157 | −2.36% |
| 36 | Michigan | $23,587 | $26,359 | −10.52% |
| 37 | South Carolina | $23,296 | $22,129 | 5.27% |
| 38 | Wyoming | $22,755 | $22,022 | 3.33% |
| 39 | Texas | $22,672 | $22,194 | 2.15% |
| 40 | West Virginia | $22,422 | $21,807 | 2.82% |
| 41 | Iowa | $22,173 | $25,840 | −14.19% |
| 42 | Arkansas | $21,840 | $19,212 | 13.68% |
| 43 | Louisiana | $21,798 | $19,483 | 11.88% |
| 44 | Kansas | $21,757 | $21,480 | 1.29% |
| 45 | Tennessee | $21,424 | $20,755 | 3.22% |
| 46 | Georgia | $21,299 | $22,706 | −6.20% |
| 47 | South Dakota | $21,174 | $20,143 | 5.12% |
| 48 | Kentucky | $20,758 | $20,423 | 1.64% |
| 49 | Alabama | $20,550 | $20,601 | −0.25% |
| 50 | Mississippi | $19,178 | $17,444 | 9.94% |
Where Costs Are Rising the Fastest
Several inland and northern states saw the sharpest increases. Vermont’s 25% surge leads the nation, followed by Montana (+23%) and Indiana (+17%). In fact, many states that historically offered moderate living costs are now experiencing rapid childcare and housing price increases, narrowing the gap with traditionally expensive regions.
The Most Affordable States
At the other end of the spectrum, Mississippi remains the nation’s most affordable state to raise a child at $19,178—less than half the cost of Massachusetts.
Alabama, Kentucky, and South Dakota also sit near the bottom, all with annual costs around $21,000. While wages tend to be lower in these states, the reduced price of childcare, housing, and transportation eases the financial burden on families.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Visualizing the Cost of the American Dream on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.