3 Houston universities score top spots for gra​d programs in Texas, new national report says

Raising a child is not an easy or inexpensive feat, but a new study has determined Houston parents have the 7th lowest childrearing costs in the country.

SmartAsset's latest report, "Cost of Raising a Child in Major U.S. Metros – 2026 Study," calculated year-over-year changes in the annual cost of raising a child (factoring in childcare, additional housing costs, food, transportation, medical costs and other necessities) in the 48 largest U.S. metro areas. MIT's Living Wage Calculator was used to compare the living costs of a household with two working adults and one child to that of a childless household with two working adults.

Childrearing costs in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands have grown 3.37 percent since last year, totaling $22,605 for a family of three in 2026. That's only $737 more than what it took to raise a child in 2025, and it's $1,209 higher than what it took in 2024.

This is how SmartAsset broke down the annual cost for raising a child in the Houston area:

• Cost of childcare: $10,265
• Cost of food: $1,721
• Other expenses: $10,619

Houston ranked 42nd in SmartAsset's national list of cities with the highest childrearing costs in 2026, making it the No. 7 most affordable U.S. metro.

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont in California topped the list with the highest childrearing costs in the U.S., at $43,171. The cost for raising a child in this California metro soared nearly 11 percent higher since last year.

Memphis, Tennessee ranked dead last as the most affordable U.S. metro for raising a child in 2026. Families will spend less than $20,000 to raise a child in Memphis, only 3.24 percent more than what was needed in 2025.

Raising a child in other Texas metros
It may come as no surprise that Austin is the most expensive place to raise a child in Texas, and it appeared as the 31st most expensive U.S. metro for families. Parents will spend nearly $25,000 to raise a child in the state's capital city, which is $703 higher than it was a year ago.

Two other Texas metros join Houston among the top 10 most affordable U.S. metros for raising a family: San Antonio-New Braunfels (No. 3) and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (No. 10). Childrearing costs in San Antonio add up to $21,393 annually, and Dallas-Fort Worth parents will spend $23,340 to raise their children in 2026.

The top 10 most affordable U.S. metros for raising a child in 2026 are:

• No. 1 – Memphis, Tennessee ($19,922)
• No. 2 – Nashville, Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tennessee ($21,216)
• No. 3 – San Antonio-New Braunfels ($21,393)
• No. 4 – Birmingham, Alabama ($21,684)
• No. 5 – Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, Virginia ($22,314)
• No. 6 – Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Georgia ($22,470)
• No. 7 – Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands ($22,605)
• No. 8 – Richmond, Virginia ($22,658)
• No. 9 – Louisville/Jefferson County, Kentucky ($23,270)
• No. 10 – Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington ($23,340)