having kids is expensive
Austin is the most expensive major Texas city for raising a child
Raising a family in Austin is slightly more expensive than other Texas cities, much more affordable than in most other American cities.
For those who are considering starting a family, it's always important to consider how much money it costs to raise a child. It certainly isn't cheap, especially in an area like Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, where annual costs of raising just one child can add up to more than $22,000 every year.
That's according to a new annual report by SmartAsset that examined the costs of childcare across 50 of the biggest metropolitan areas in America.
Despite the seemingly high annual price tag — $22,406, to be exact — raising a child in Austin is actually more affordable than in most other U.S. metros. The city appeared at No. 18 on the list for the lowest yearly childrearing costs out of all 50 cities in the report.
The study only completely breaks down the total costs of 10 most and least expensive cities, but Austin was comparable to San Antonio (No. 10 least expensive). There, it costs $21,014 annually to raise a child. Two data points were given for Austin: childcare totals $10,247 (compared to San Antonio's $9,632) and housing beyond what two childless people would need totals $3,485 (compared to San Antonio's $3,132).
The rest of San Antonio's breakdown, which would presumably be about 7 percent less expensive considering the above ratios, continues as follows:
- Medical: $2,084 (adjusted to $2,230 for Austin)
- Housing: $3,132 (adjusted to $3,351)
- Transportation: $3,106 (adjusted to $3,323)
- Civic: $985 (adjusted to $1,054)
- Other: $441 (adjusted to $471.87)
Austin parents can rejoice that their annual childcare costs are lower than the national average of $25,181 per year. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts, is the U.S. metro area with the No. 1 highest annual costs for raising a child – at $37,758 – far higher than the national average.
"Understanding the costs associated with raising a child is essential, not only for personal financial planning but also for shaping public policies that support family well-being," the report's author wrote. "But the costs for childcare, additional housing, food, medical necessities and other expenses vary widely, with the total price tag adding up much higher in some places."
Childcare costs around Texas
Annual childcare costs in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington came out to $21,926, and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land's childcare costs were slightly less expensive, at $21,396 yearly.
To determine the rankings, SmartAsset compared the annual costs of a household with two working adults and one child to the annual costs of a childless household with two working adults. The MIT Living Wage Calculator was used to determine the cost of each city's medical expenses, transportation, food, and more. Notably, costs for schooling were not specified.
The full report can be found on smartasset.com.
A meeting at Mohawk back in 2015 helped form what the RRCD is today.Photo from redriverculturaldistrict.org. 