IT’S NO SECRET HAVING KIDS IS EXPENSIVE – FROM KEEPING THEM FED AND CLOTHED TO MAKING SURE THEY’RE CARED FOR AT ALL TIMES… BUT IT’S HARD TO SAY EXACTLY *HOW* EXPENSIVE THEY ARE.

NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE’RE GETTING AN IDEA – AT LEAST WHEN IT COMES TO BABIES.

A NEWLY RELEASED STUDY BY BRANKRATE SHOWS CARE FOR JUST ONE INFANT COSTS AT *LEAST* TEN PERCENT OF A FAMILY’S YEARLY INCOME IN NEARLY EVERY STATE.

CHILDCARE HAS BECOME ONE OF THE BIGGEST EXPENSES FOR PARENTS NATIONWIDE… AND BANKRATE’S ANALYSIS FOUND FULL-TIME CENTER-BASED CARE IN THE U-S COST AN AVERAGE OF MORE THAN 14-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN 20-23 ALONE.

BANKRATE FOUND THAT’S MORE THAN A HOUSEHOLD’S AVERAGE YEAR BUDGET FOR THINGS LIKE GROCERIES, HEALTH CARE AND TRANSPORTATION.

IN FACT, THE ONLY BIG YEARLY EXPENSE BANKRATE FOUND COSTS MORE THAN INFANT CARE IS HOUSING – WHICH COSTS AN AVERAGE OF AROUND 25-THOUSAND DOLLARS.

BANKRATE FOUND THERE ARE ONLY TWO STATES IN THE U-S WHERE CHILDCARE ADDS UP TO LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OF A FAMILY’S YEARLY BUDGET – NORTH AND SOUTH DAKOTA… ALTHOUGH NORTH DAKOTA IS PRETTY CLOSE, AVERAGING 9 POINT 8 PERCENT.

SOUTH DAKOTA COMES IN AT JUST UNDER 9 PERCENT. 

INFANT CARE IS THE **LEAST** AFFORDABLE IN NEW MEXICO AND HAWAII – WHERE IT EATS UP MORE THAN 20 PERCENT OF A HOUSEHOLD’S BUDGET EVERY YEAR.

ON AVERAGE – AMERICAN FAMILIES SPEND ABOUT 15 PERCENT OF WHAT THEY MAKE ON FULL-TIME CENTER-BASED CHILDCARE… AND FOR HALF THE STATES – IT’S MORE.

THE NONPROFIT CHILD CARE AWARE AMERICA SAYS **MOST** OF THE COST OF CHILD CARE GOES TO STAFFING BECAUSE CARE CENTERS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A HIGH RATIO OF ADULTS TO CHILDREN FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY REASONS.

EVEN STILL – A RECENT ANALYSIS BY THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF CHICAGO FOUND THE MEDIAN WAGE PAID TO CHILDCARE WORKERS IS IN THE **BOTTOM 5 PERCENT** OF **ALL** OCCUPATIONS.