The Least Affordable Cities and Metros To Raise a Family in 2026
Written by
Crystal Mayer
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
Commitment to Our Readers
GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.
20 Years
Helping You Live Richer
Reviewed
by Experts
Trusted by
Millions of Readers
Raising a family simply is not cheap. A SmartAsset study found that it takes around $235,000 on average for a family of four (two adults and two kids) to live comfortably in the US. In some areas, the cost is significantly higher.
Rising childcare expenses, healthcare costs, and grocery prices have made certain cities unaffordable for families. Here are the five least affordable cities and metros to raise a family in 2026, according to InvestorsObserver.
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit topped the list for least affordable metros for raising a child, with an affordability score of 119%. It is estimated that the annual income required for a family with one child is $87,753 and $107,016 for a household with two children.
In reality, however, the median married-couple household is considerably less at $73,731. Underlying some of the disparity between the amount that is needed to raise a family and actual income in Motor City are stagnant wages, a loss of manufacturing and a high childhood poverty rate.
According to Salary.com, cost of living for a family of four is approximately $5,304 per month, which is just below the national average. Many families, however, have to contend with housing costs that have soared in recent years. Luckily, childcare costs have remained moderate at $28,204, InvestorsObserver found.
Cleveland, Ohio
Ranking second on the list for least affordable metros to raise a family was Cleveland, Ohio. It takes around $91,521 to raise one child and $115,537 to raise two children in the lakeside city. The median married-couple household income, however, falls short at $89,067 creating a deficit regardless of household size. Childcare costs alone eat up nearly 40% of most families’ income at $35,216 annually.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
With an affordability score of 102%, Philadelphia ranks third on the list for least affordable metro areas in the U.S. to raise a family. Families need an income of over six figures just to raise one kid.
According to the study, a family needs around $107,604 to raise one child and $136,795 for two children. Median household income for a married couple in the city is approximately $105,488.
Families in Philadelphia reportedly spend large amounts of money on early childhood education. Rolling Out reported childcare in the area often exceeds the cost of a monthly mortgage payment and has far outpaced general inflation, rising by 30% from 2019 to 2023 alone.
McAllen, Texas
A surprising member of the list was McAllen, Texas due to its low cost of living. McAllen has an affordability score of 101.6%, mainly due to required annual incomes of $73,870 for one child and $89,025 for a family raising two children. The median household income for the metro area is only $72,700, resulting in a deficit of $13,170 for a household with one child and $17,275 for a family with two kids.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Rounding out the top five on the list was Milwaukee. The home of the Brewers has an affordability score of 97.8% due to a required annual income of approximately $90,038 for one child and $113,446 for a family with two children. The median household income for a married couple in the city is only $89,067 resulting in a deficit of $1,059 for a family with one child and $24,379 for a household with two kids.
More From GOBankingRates
