Minnesota Now One of the Most Expensive States to Raise a Child

If you're a parent, you know the stress of raising a kiddo. Early morning wake-ups, chauffeuring them to school, practice, and playdates, and somehow still finding time to squeeze in a meal that isn’t just leftover pizza every night.

Oh, and let's not forget the constant worry when they’re out of sight for more than five minutes. The emotional toll is real and so is the financial one.

I always joke that at this stage of parenthood (raising a teenager over here), that I'm nothing more than an Uber driver and ATM. All jokes aside, raising kids is amazing, but let’s be real, it’s also ridiculously expensive.

Between childcare costs, healthcare, and the never-ending list of school fees and sports equipment, the expenses pile up fast. And here in Minnesota, it’s even harder on the wallet than most states.

Minnesota Now One of the Most Expensive States to Raise a Child:

Minnesota is actually the 7th most expensive state to raise a kid. According to data from Consumer Affairs, it costs about $22,000 a year to raise a child here.

But here’s where things get interesting. I saw a different report from last year that put the cost closer to $27,000 per year. And honestly, I can’t imagine the cost went down since, you know, everything seems to be getting more expensive by the day.

Related: Here's The Salary You Need to Be Considered Upper-Middle Class in Minnesota

Either way, $22k or $27k, that’s a whole lot of cash for just ONE kid. Imagine if you’ve got two or more. Yikes.

No surprise here, child care tops the list as the most expensive thing that parents are paying for. According to Minnesota Reformer, child care in Minnesota is among the most expensive in the nation, with the average annual cost of infant care at more than $22,000 annually, or almost $1,900 a month!

No wonder parents joke about needing a second job just to cover daycare.

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