For most households, finances are an important aspect of daily life. Keeping track of household budgets and making sure everything gets paid isn't easy for some families. In the simplest of terms, it is inevitable each child adds expenses to a family.
Beyond the love nearly all parents have for their children, the fact is when looking only at family finances, a household with children will have more basic financial obligations simply because there are more people than say just a married couple without children. In a household with children under 18, the essentials simply cost more, such as food, clothing, and shelter. Generally speaking, children under the age of 18 are most likely not going to be working in high-paying jobs or jobs that are full-time and are therefore not able to contribute to the overall household income which would offset the financial burden of low or middle-income families.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a child born in 2015 to a middle-income married couple, will take an estimated $233,610 to raise a child until they reach 18 years of age. This figure does not factor in inflation or include any savings or costs for a college education.
Additionally, infrastructure for children is also impacted by the concentration of households with children. For example, schools and school districts, parks, home builders and the blueprint of new houses and multi-family housing being built in an area, recreational activities, youth sports leagues, and a variety of other businesses that revolve around children.
This indicator measures the total number and share of households with children under the age of 18 years old in Walla Walla County. Washington State and the U.S. are offered as benchmarks.