HOUSTON – Families in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro area are paying more to raise a child in 2026, according to a new study from SmartAsset.
The personal finance company ranked the Houston metro No. 42 among the nation’s largest metropolitan areas for the annual cost of raising a single child.
According to the study, a two-parent household in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands area will spend an average of $22,605 to raise one child in 2026. That’s a 3.4% increase from 2025, when the annual cost was $21,868. In 2024, the average annual cost was $21,396.
The study looked at common household expenses, including childcare, food, housing, transportation, health care and other child-related costs.
While costs continue to climb across much of the country, Houston’s increase was in line with a broader national trend. SmartAsset found that only two major metro areas saw the annual cost of raising a child decrease from 2025 to 2026:
Richmond, Virginia: down 2%
Virginia Beach, Virginia: down 1%
The study comes as many Houston-area families continue to face higher prices for everyday necessities, adding to the financial challenges of raising children.
SmartAsset’s rankings compare the annual cost of raising one child in two-parent households across the country’s largest metro areas, offering a snapshot of how family expenses vary from city to city.
Readers can explore the full rankings, methodology and a detailed breakdown of costs, including childcare, food and other household expenses, onSmartAsset’s website.
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