In a recent CNN/Money article, Melanie Hicken reports that it will cost a middle class family an estimated $241,080 to raise a child from birth through age 18 years. This estimate does not include the cost of college. The findings are based on data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and show a 3% increase over 2011. The USDA tracks costs for items such as housing, transportation, food, child care, and others.

The article is accompanied by an interactive tool which allows the user to examine change in expenses over time and by year, region of the country and class.

Read more:
http://money.cnn.com/2013/08/14/pf/cost-children/index.html
http://money.cnn.com/interactive/pf/cost-of-children/?sr=fb081513costraisekid5p/gallery/pf/2013/08/14/cost-of-children/index.html?sr=fb081513costchildren