The Pitter Patter of Gold Plated Feet

COST TO RAISE A CHILD NEARLY $227K:

The cost of raising a child born to middle-income parents in 2010 over the next 17 years is now $226,920. That figure in the Department of Agriculture's annual report is up two percent from 2009, largely because of higher transportation, child care, education, and health care costs. For lower-income families, which are those earning less than $57,600 a year, parents can expect to spend a total of $163,440, while higher-income families with earnings of over $100,000 a year will spend around $377,000. Housing is the largest expense in raising a child, followed in order by child care, education and food.