Every US state ranked by the cost of raising a child, from least to most expensive

Tech Insider : Economy, Economy, Business
A child at a day care center.
A LendingTree study found that, on average, it costs $303,418 to raise a child over 18 years.

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Daycare waitlists are long. I'm grateful that my mother and mother-in-law can help with childcare, but our system isn't perfect.

Tech Insider : Business
The author's daughter at the playground.
The author's mom and mother-in-law help with her daughter twice a week.

Courtesy of Riana Ang-Canning

Families across the US can't find childcare — this map shows where it's worst

Tech Insider : Business, Economy, Style
A child playing with brick toys
A new analysis finds that about half of young children in the US live in a childcare desert.

Vanessa Nunes/Getty Images

Meet the single moms raising their kids together in a Manhattan 'mommune'

Tech Insider : Economy, Business, Travel
Bernie Sinclaire and Anabelle Gonzalez

Laila AnnMarie Stevens for BI

Bernie Sinclaire calls herself a "mommunist."

I stayed home with my kids longer than I planned because of childcare costs. It didn't feel like I had much of a choice.

Tech Insider : Business, Environment
Mom and baby
The author stayed home with her kids because of childcare costs.

Courtesy of the author

We spend $30,000 a year on au pairs to help with our 4 boys. It's worth it.

Tech Insider : Business
Three adults and three children against a city landscape
The Smylie family with their last au pair, Cami.

Courtesy of Malia Smylie.

I dragged my son to all my work meetings as a single mom who couldn't afford childcare. I worried I ruined his childhood.

Tech Insider : Business, Travel
a woman at her desk while also playing with her son
The author (not pictured) brought her son to all work meetings.

Stephen Lux/Getty Images

I started raising my grandson just a few months into my retirement. My wife and I want to give him a good life, but it's financially draining.

Tech Insider : Economy, Business, Sports
Martin Odum with his wife and grandson, Noah
Martin Odum and his wife have raised their grandson, Noah.

Martin Odum

I work at a coworking space that has an on-site preschool. It's completely changed my life and my parenting.

Tech Insider : Business, Environment
Paulina Roe's daughter playing with a ball next to her day care room
The author's daughter goes to day care at a coworking space.

Courtesy of Paulina Roe

I moved my family from Texas to Colombia. It cut down our expenses by two-thirds, and life feels richer.

Tech Insider : Business
A woman and a young girl look out at a valley of homes, surrounded by trees.
Jenn Jamali and her daughter

Courtesy of Jenn Jamali

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