--- title: 5 Signs You're Financially Ready to Have a Baby description: 5 Signs You're Financially Ready to Have a Baby --- [![Child Care Aware of America Logo](https://info.childcareaware.org/hs-fs/hubfs/social-suggested-images/usachildcareaware.site-ym.comgraphicslogo-new.png?width=690&height=350&name=usachildcareaware.site-ym.comgraphicslogo-new.png "Child Care Aware of America Logo")](https://www.childcareaware.org/) - [English ](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/5-signs-youre-financially-ready-to-have-a-baby#) - [Español (Spanish) ](https://www.childcareaware.org/?lang=es) - [Child Care Career Center](http://careers.childcareaware.org/) - [Help for Military/DoD Families](https://www.childcareaware.org/fee-assistancerespite/) Search ![CCA Logo/Homepage link](https://info.childcareaware.org/hubfs/ChildCareAware_October2019%20Theme/Images/menu_img.png) ## Media Center For media requests, please call 703-341-4161 or email [news@usa.childcareaware.org](mailto:news@usa.childcareaware.org). # 5 Signs You're Financially Ready to Have a Baby June 29, 2021 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) U.S. News & World Report Child care will likely be a family's biggest expense during the first three to four years of their child's life.  "It is unfortunate how much families have to consider this in their family planning. It should be a situation where there is care that is affordable and high quality nearby if you need it in this country," says Mario Cardona, chief of policy and practice at Child Care Aware of America. However, he says "the price of child care remains incredibly high. It outpaces the costs of just about any household expense in the country, except for housing in the West." The average annual price of child care was around $9,100 to $9,600 nationally in 2019, according to a report by Child Care Aware of America. However, costs vary dramatically by region.  In California, for example, the average annual price of center-based infant child care was $16,452, representing 17.5% of the median household income in the state. In Arkansas, the annual price of center-based infant child care was $6,443, representing 8.9% of the median household income in the state. [Read the full article](https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/family-finance/articles/signs-youre-financially-ready-to-have-a-baby). Topics: [Media Mention](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/tag/media-mention) ### Written by [CCAoA](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/author/ccaoa) Previous Post [Will schools and day cares require masks or COVID-19 vaccines in fall 2021?](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/will-schools-and-day-cares-require-masks-or-covid-19-vaccines-in-fall-2021) Next Post [The market controls child care costs in the U.S. Can that be changed?](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/the-market-controls-child-care-costs-in-the-u.s.-can-that-be-changed) ### Types of Media - [Media Mention (94)](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/tag/media-mention) - [News (7)](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/tag/news) - [Policy & Advocacy (5)](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/tag/policy-advocacy) - [Press (53)](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/tag/press) - [Press Release (42)](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/tag/press-release) - [Provider Appreciation Day 2025 (1)](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/tag/provider-appreciation-day-2025) - [Workforce (1)](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/tag/workforce) [See all](https://info.childcareaware.org/media/5-signs-youre-financially-ready-to-have-a-baby#) ** ![CCA Logo/Homepage link](https://www.childcareaware.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/logo-footer.png)![CCA Logo/Homepage link](https://www.childcareaware.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/logo-footer.png) ** Military Families × Close Panel ** ### Military Families × Close Panel ** × Close Panel