I was reading a piece the other day that talked about having kids versus having a dog when it comes to the overall expense of either one. It seems that millennials are the age group that owns more pets than any other age group, and millennials are also more likely to say that they'd prefer pets to kids.

Although either choice (a dog or a kid) is going to cost you money, it's safe to assume that pet ownership is going to cost you significantly less than adding a new human to your household. Both could fall under the heading of "expensive," but quite a bit more money is needed to bring an infant to adulthood than a puppy.

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So You've Decided That You're Tired Of Doing Whatever You Want, Sleeping As Late As You Like, And Having Some Extra Money In Your Wallet--So You're Going To Have A Baby

Oh, and one other thing about the decision to have a baby: Get ready to worry more about nearly everything than you ever worried before you had the baby. It just comes with being a parent, and if you're a good one, it will always be that way. My kids are adults now, and I worry about them now as much as I did on day-one of being their dad.

You worry about their health and well-being. You worry about keeping them safe. You worry about their futures. And, you worry a hell of a lot about money.

So, what kind of money are we talking about on a "per-year" basis when it comes to growing your family?

A little baby lies on a bed of money.
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According To A New Report From A Very Well-Regarded Consumer Information Website, Having A Child Or Getting A Dog Could Both Have You Looking For A Loan

Not surprisingly, the addition of a baby to your household will probably cause you to borrow quite a bit more money than adding a new dog, according to some new analysis by ConsumerAffairs.com.

In their piece, ConsumerAffairs points out that the average cost of raising a child in the United States in 2025 is around $16,000.

On the high end of the spectrum we get Massachusetts with an average annual cost of raising a child sitting at $27,473. The low end is in the state of South Carolina, where the average cost of raising a child is at $8,360 a year.

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Here's What It Costs Per Year To Raise A Child In Illinois And Our Neighboring States

Try to contain your shock and surprise that it's more expensive here in Illinois than in any of our bordering states. Here in the Land of Lincoln, we rank at #18, with the average yearly cost of raising a child at $16,843, which is pretty much in line with the national average.

    • Wisconsin: (#39) $12,530
    • Iowa: (#29) $14,052
    • Indiana: (#25) $14,758
    • Missouri: (#22) $15,297
    • Kentucky: (#47) $9,533

LOOK: Unique baby names from the year you were born

Stacker highlighted one of the least-used baby names from each year between 1950 and 2022, using data from the Social Security Administration.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

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