The Houston area is one of the nation’s cheapest major metros to raise a child, but childcare costs continue to rise, a new report found.
Families with at least one child in the Houston area, including The Woodlands can expect to spend more than $22,600 annually per child, according to financial technology company SmartAsset. That’s a 3.4% cost increase from last year.
The personal finance company used MIT Living Wage Calculator data to compare the living costs of a household with two working adults and one child to those of a childless household. Among 48 major metros analyzed in the study, the Houston area was the seventh cheapest region.
Over the past few years, Houston families have seen the cost of raising a child rise, including childcare, food, medical care, housing and other necessities. Back in 2024, estimated expenses were nearly $21,400.
According to SmartAsset’s study, only two metro areas in the country saw those costs decline: Richmond, Virginia, and Virginia Beach, Virginia.