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How much does it cost to have kids? Sarasota-Manatee on list for most expensive places for parents

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

The North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton area ranks 47th out of 381 U.S. metro areas for most expensive places to raise a child.

Using the MIT living wage calculator, the study conducted by SmartAsset, includes costs of food, housing, childcare, health care, transportation and other necessities.

How much does it cost to raise a child in the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton area?

The annual cost of raising a child in the Sarasota area is $24,637. Expenses include $10,362 in childcare, $1,768, housing at $5,580 and other necessities.

The median income of Sarasota County is $69,490 and $64,964 for Manatee County, making annual child costs more than a third of residents' income, according to 2017-2021 U.S. Census data.

Did you know?Sarasota County lands on Florida's richest counties list. What ranking did it get?

More on cost of living:Sarasota's rising area income means higher rents for some, housing assistance for others

What are the most expensive cities to raise a child in the U.S.?

Here’s a breakdown of the top five most expensive cities to raise a child in, according to the study. The dollar amounts represent the total one-year cost of parenting one child:

San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, California: $35,647.
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, California: $33,877.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California: $33,228.
Barnstable, Massachusetts: $33,184.
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts-New Hampshire: $32,307.

What other Florida cities landed on the list?

Here’s how 21 other Florida cities fared with the annual cost of raising a child.

No. 37: Naples-Marco Island, $24,637
No. 52: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, $24,221
No. 94: Jacksonville, $22,341
No. 100: Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater: $22,259
No. 108: Punta Gorda, $22,052
No. 109: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, $22,049
No. 116: Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, $21,872
No. 130: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, $21,527
No. 131: Port St. Lucie, $21,303
No. 135: Panama City, $21,303
No. 145: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, $21,126
No. 151: Sebastian-Vero Beach, $21,054
No. 176: The Villages, $20,676
No. 180: Tallahassee, $20,514
No. 215: Sebring-Avon Park, $20,014
No. 216: Ocala, $20,009
No. 220: Gainesville, $19,961
No. 231: Homosassa Springs, $19,806
No. 234: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, $19,699
No. 247: Lakeland-Winter Haven, $19,272
No. 269: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent: $18,851

What are the least expensive cities to raise a child in the U.S.?

Morristown, Tennessee: $14,577
Sumter, South Carolina: $14,702
Jackson, Tennessee: $15,246
Gadsden, Alabama: $15,261
Longview, Texas: $15,345