MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

USDA: Raising a child to adulthood costs 204.000 US dollars

Teenagers are expensive

Middle income families in United States should calculate that raising a child born in 2007 to adulthood will demand an estimated 204.060 US dollars in food, housing and education costs, according to an annual report from the US Department of Agriculture.

"The cost of providing food decreased from 24 to 17% of total child-rearing costs, while child care and education expenses increased from 2 to 12%" points out the USDA report. Housing will be the single largest cost for US families, making up 33 to 27% of total expenses across income groups. Taking into account inflation, the grand total for middle-income families comes to 269.060 US dollars. Total costs also include transportation, health care, and other necessities. Child-rearing costs have soared since USDA began conducting its annual study in 1960, and can vary dramatically according to a family's income. Families making less than 45.800 US dollars before taxes can expect to spend less, 148.320 in real terms over the course of their child's first 17 years. Those on the other end of the income spectrum, making more than 77.100 a year, will spend 298.680 in 2007 dollars on raising their 2007 child. Even though the study does not include the cost of college, USDA found that children get more expensive as they get older. Teenagers were the most costly. The USDA report also points out that raising a child is dearer in the urban areas of best US and lesser in north central and rural areas of the country.