Raising kids is expensive. But raising kids in California is an economic battlefield of its own. The high cost of living makes even single life a financial challenge. Add a few little ones to the mix, and making ends meet can feel nearly impossible.
A new study confirms as much. According to SmartAsset, it cost $29,468 to raise a child in California last year. That’s above the national average of $22,850.
California’s largest metros are even more expensive. In San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, raising a child costs around $38,981 per year in 2025. Only Boston-Cambridge-Newton has a higher price tag ($39,221).
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara is the second most expensive city for raising kids in California and the third most expensive nationwide. The annual cost is $37,867.
The third, fourth, and fifth most expensive California metros for child rearing are San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad ($32,040), Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom ($30,204), and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim ($29,457).
Read the full list and methodology here.
List and data were compiled by SmartAsset and do not reflect all metros.