Raising a Child in Denver Costs More Than New York or L.A.

It has been said that raising a child can be one of the greatest joys in life. What a lot of people forget to mention is that it's also expensive. The cost of raising a child can be stress-inducing, to say the least.

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When you factor in childcare, housing, food, healthcare, and all of the essentials, those dollars can add up quickly. Plus, we didn't even mention toys. You're going to need a lot of those, too.

Denver Ranked Fifth Most Expensive City to Raise a Child

Colorado has been notorious for its high cost of living for years now. One of the main financial pain points is affordable housing. Our state has consistently been ranked as one of the most expensive states to live in when it comes to housing costs.

READ MORE: $100,000 May Not Mean What You Think in Colorado

Denver, Colorado, has been ranked as the fifth most expensive city to raise a child in the United States by visualcapitalist.com for 2026, with an average of $34,712 annually. When you break it down into an hourly wage, it seems even more daunting.

Denver Costs More Than New York and Los Angeles

For a parent to afford to raise a child in Denver, it costs an average of $16.69 per hour, working a 40-hour work week. What's more surprising, the cost of raising a child in Denver is more expensive than in a major metropolotian area like New York City or Los Angeles.

READ MORE: Colorado Housing Affordability Ranks 48th

The most expensive city to raise a child is San Francisco, California, with an estimated annual cost of $43,171. See all 48 cities on the list in the Most Expensive U.S. Cities for Raising a Child in 2026 at visualcapitalist.com.