Kids may be priceless…

…but raising them sure isn’t. According to a newly published report that’ll make you rethink getting annoyed at mom or dad over the thermostat or lights, it now costs $310,605 to raise a child to age 17.

💰👶 More deets… The estimate, based on a Brookings Institute analysis of government data first shared with the WSJ, covers a range of expenses, including housing, food, clothing, healthcare and child care. It also accounts for childhood milestones and activities – like sports, music lessons, haircuts, etc. – but doesn’t account for private or college education.

🇺🇸 The big picture: Love ‘em or hate ‘em, kids cost money. And this appears to be having a real impact on population growth.

Though the US’ fertility rate rose in 2021, it’s still below replacement level – meaning not enough babies are being born to replace the previous generation. Half of America’s states actually saw more deaths than births last year, a phenomenon called "natural decrease."

• The driving factor? Cost. A New York Times/Morning Consult poll from 2018 found the No. 1 reason why Americans had fewer children was because “child care is too expensive" (64% of respondents).

🌍 Zoom out: The world’s population is expected to virtually stop growing by the end of this century for the first time in modern history, per a Pew Research analysis of UN data.

+For us visual learners… 👇