<P> Based on a survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the table below shows the estimated Average Spending on Children by Families . The data comes from the Consumer Expenditure Survey by the U.S. Department of Labor, conducted from 2005 - 06 . The figures have been updated to 2011 dollars using the Consumer Price Index . However, some dispute the numbers as being biased high for political reasons (e.g., Texas A&M University Finance Professor H. Swint Friday: "The numbers, reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, are outrageously misleading . Often government statistics are produced for political objectives that cause the research methodology to be biased toward finding the highest dollar amount to support the objective ."). </P> <P> These figures from the USDA go up to age 18, and do not include any college or university education . Nor does it offer any spending estimates if the child remains in the home as a dependent after the age of 18 . </P> <P> Both tables are for the United States overall, not based on any specific region in the country . </P> <Table> Dual - Parent Family - USDA Average Spending per Child (not the basic cost of raising) <Tr> <Th> Age of Child </Th> <Th> Housing </Th> <Th> Food </Th> <Th> Transport . </Th> <Th> Clothing </Th> <Th> Health </Th> <Th> Child Care / Education </Th> <Th> Misc . </Th> <Th> Total </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="9"> Before - tax income: Less than $59,410 (Average = $38,000) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 0 to 2 </Td> <Td> 2,990 </Td> <Td> 1,160 </Td> <Td> 1,170 </Td> <Td> 640 </Td> <Td> 630 </Td> <Td> 2,040 </Td> <Td> 420 </Td> <Td> 9,050 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 3 to 5 </Td> <Td> 2,990 </Td> <Td> 1,260 </Td> <Td> 1,230 </Td> <Td> 500 </Td> <Td> 590 </Td> <Td> 1,910 </Td> <Td> 620 </Td> <Td> 9,100 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 to 8 </Td> <Td> 2,990 </Td> <Td> 1,710 </Td> <Td> 1,350 </Td> <Td> 570 </Td> <Td> 660 </Td> <Td> 1,290 </Td> <Td> 630 </Td> <Td> 8,760 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9 to 11 </Td> <Td> 2,990 </Td> <Td> 1,970 </Td> <Td> 1,350 </Td> <Td> 580 </Td> <Td> 710 </Td> <Td> 1,910 </Td> <Td> 630 </Td> <Td> 9,520 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 12 to 14 </Td> <Td> 2,990 </Td> <Td> 2,130 </Td> <Td> 1,480 </Td> <Td> 690 </Td> <Td> 1,090 </Td> <Td> 1,110 </Td> <Td> 700 </Td> <Td> 9,960 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 15 to 17 </Td> <Td> 2,990 </Td> <Td> 2,120 </Td> <Td> 1,630 </Td> <Td> 730 </Td> <Td> 1,010 </Td> <Td> 1,290 </Td> <Td> 589 </Td> <Td> 9,970 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Total </Td> <Td> 53,820 </Td> <Td> 31,050 </Td> <Td> 24,630 </Td> <Td> 11,130 </Td> <Td> 14,070 </Td> <Td> 23,640 </Td> <Td> 10,740 </Td> <Td> 169,080 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="9"> Before - tax income: $59,410 to $102,870 (Average = $79,940) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 0 to 2 </Td> <Td> 3,920 </Td> <Td> 1,405 </Td> <Td> 1,690 </Td> <Td> 760 </Td> <Td> 850 </Td> <Td> 2,860 </Td> <Td> 890 </Td> <Td> 12,370 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 3 to 5 </Td> <Td> 3,920 </Td> <Td> 1,490 </Td> <Td> 1,740 </Td> <Td> 610 </Td> <Td> 800 </Td> <Td> 2,740 </Td> <Td> 1,090 </Td> <Td> 12,390 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 to 8 </Td> <Td> 3,920 </Td> <Td> 2,100 </Td> <Td> 1,860 </Td> <Td> 680 </Td> <Td> 940 </Td> <Td> 1,680 </Td> <Td> 1,110 </Td> <Td> 12,290 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9 to 11 </Td> <Td> 3,920 </Td> <Td> 2,400 </Td> <Td> 1,870 </Td> <Td> 710 </Td> <Td> 1,000 </Td> <Td> 2,110 </Td> <Td> 1,100 </Td> <Td> 13,110 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 12 to 14 </Td> <Td> 3,920 </Td> <Td> 2,580 </Td> <Td> 1,990 </Td> <Td> 840 </Td> <Td> 1,410 </Td> <Td> 1,910 </Td> <Td> 1,170 </Td> <Td> 13,820 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 15 to 17 </Td> <Td> 3,920 </Td> <Td> 2,570 </Td> <Td> 2,150 </Td> <Td> 900 </Td> <Td> 1,330 </Td> <Td> 2,400 </Td> <Td> 1,050 </Td> <Td> 14,320 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Total </Td> <Td> 70,560 </Td> <Td> 37,620 </Td> <Td> 33,900 </Td> <Td> 13,500 </Td> <Td> 18,990 </Td> <Td> 41,100 </Td> <Td> 19,230 </Td> <Td> 234,900 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="9"> Before - tax income: More than $102,870 (Average = $180,040) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 0 to 2 </Td> <Td> 7,100 </Td> <Td> 1,900 </Td> <Td> 2,550 </Td> <Td> 1,050 </Td> <Td> 980 </Td> <Td> 5,090 </Td> <Td> 1,790 </Td> <Td> 20,460 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 3 to 5 </Td> <Td> 7,100 </Td> <Td> 2,000 </Td> <Td> 2,610 </Td> <Td> 880 </Td> <Td> 930 </Td> <Td> 4,970 </Td> <Td> 1,990 </Td> <Td> 20,480 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 to 8 </Td> <Td> 7,100 </Td> <Td> 2,630 </Td> <Td> 2,730 </Td> <Td> 970 </Td> <Td> 1,080 </Td> <Td> 3,910 </Td> <Td> 2,000 </Td> <Td> 20,420 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9 to 11 </Td> <Td> 7,100 </Td> <Td> 2,980 </Td> <Td> 2,730 </Td> <Td> 1,010 </Td> <Td> 1,150 </Td> <Td> 4,350 </Td> <Td> 2,000 </Td> <Td> 21,320 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 12 to 14 </Td> <Td> 7,100 </Td> <Td> 3,190 </Td> <Td> 2,860 </Td> <Td> 1,170 </Td> <Td> 1,610 </Td> <Td> 4,700 </Td> <Td> 2,070 </Td> <Td> 22,700 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 15 to 17 </Td> <Td> 7,100 </Td> <Td> 3,180 </Td> <Td> 3,020 </Td> <Td> 1,280 </Td> <Td> 1,520 </Td> <Td> 6,460 </Td> <Td> 1,950 </Td> <Td> 24,510 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Total </Td> <Td> 127,800 </Td> <Td> 47,640 </Td> <Td> 49,500 </Td> <Td> 19,080 </Td> <Td> 21,810 </Td> <Td> 88,440 </Td> <Td> 35,400 </Td> <Td> 389,670 </Td> </Tr> </Table>

The average cost of a child per year