Cost of raising a child
Children eating, Getty Images
Posted: 06/15/2012
(WXYZ) - A bundle of cash to raise a bundle of joy.
The cost of raising a child has reached a record high, according to the latest annual Agriculture Department report.
From the diapers to driver's training, clothes to classes, kids can be costly.
Middle-income parents raising a child born in 2011 can expect to spend to $234,900 from the time they're born to the time they reach 18 years old.
That's up 3.5 percent from 2010.
If projected inflation is added in, the USDA says the number could reach $295,560.
The biggest expenses? Housing, child care, education and food.
However, college costs are not factored in.
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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