Tennesseans paid more than $20,000 last year to raise a child

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – How much did your child cost you last year?

A new report by SmartAsset compares the cost by state for raising a child under five per year.

The good news is that Tennessee is one of the cheapest states.

The bad news is that the number reached $21,424 inn 2025.

That’s an increase of almost a thousand dollars since last year.

Mississippi ($19,178) is the cheapest state while Massachusetts is the most expensive ($44,221).

Georgia and Alabama are below Tennessee on the list.

And the cost of a child actually dropped in both states this year.