Parenting and Baby Products Statistics 2026
This page collects 54 figures on parenting and baby products: the cost of raising a child and of having a baby, childcare prices in the U.S. and Great Britain, how working parents arrange and pay for care, births and fertility rates, spending on baby gear, diapers and feeding, and screen time for babies and young children. Most figures describe 2024 to 2026 in the U.S., with UK data from the ONS and Coram and EU data from Eurostat. The USDA cost of raising a child estimate dates from 2015 and is kept because it is still the latest official figure. Sources include the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Child Care Aware of America, the Federal Reserve Board, the CDC, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Office for National Statistics, Eurostat, Coram Family and Childcare, Pew Research Center, Peterson-KFF, Circana, the National Diaper Bank Network and Common Sense Media.
By the Comredix review desk · Updated November 13, 2026 · 54 numbers drawn from 19 publishers and reports
Short answer
U.S. childcare averaged $13,184 a year in 2025 (Child Care Aware of America), and USDA's latest estimate of raising a child born in 2015 to age 17 is $233,610 in 2015 dollars. The CDC counted 3,606,400 U.S. births in 2025, down 1%, while England and Wales fell to a record low fertility rate of 1.39 (ONS). Circana measured U.S. juvenile product sales of $7.3 billion in 2024, down 6%, and Common Sense Media finds children 8 and under average about 2.5 hours of screen time a day.
Headline numbers
- $13,184The national average annual price of childcare in the U.S. was $13,184 in 2025, according to Child Care Aware of America, based on 47 states with price data.Child Care Aware of America
- $1,083Families paying for both housing and childcare spent a median $1,083 a month on childcare in 2025, more than half their median housing payment of $1,900.Federal Reserve Board
- $233,610USDA estimates that a middle-income married couple will spend $233,610 raising a child born in 2015 from birth through age 17, in 2015 dollars and excluding college.U.S. Department of Agriculture
- $20,416Health costs tied to pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care average $20,416 for women in U.S. employer health plans, including $2,743 paid out of pocket (Peterson-KFF analysis of 2021 to 2023 claims).Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker
- 39%The price of a full-time (50 hour) nursery place for a child under two in England fell 39% from 2025 to 2026 for families eligible for funded hours (Coram Childcare Survey 2026).Coram Family and Childcare
- 3,606,400There were 3,606,400 births in the U.S. in 2025, a 1% decline from 2024, according to provisional CDC data.CDC National Center for Health Statistics
- 1.39The total fertility rate in England and Wales was 1.39 children per woman in 2025, down from 1.41 in 2024 (ONS).Office for National Statistics
- $7.3 billionU.S. retail sales of juvenile products fell 6% in 2024 to $7.3 billion, according to Circana's Retail Tracking Service.Circana
Reading the numbers
Childcare is the cost that hits families hardest in the early years. Child Care Aware of America puts the national average at $13,184 a year in 2025, equal to 33% of median income for a single parent, and the Federal Reserve finds that families who pay for care spend a median $1,083 a month, more than half of what they pay for housing. Prices have risen about as fast as inflation since 2021, so the strain comes from a high base rather than a new surge. Most parents patch together unpaid care instead: only 34% of parents of children under six paid for care in a given week, and Pew finds just 6% of working parents have on-site childcare at work.
Policy can move prices quickly. In England, Coram's 2026 survey shows the cost of a full-time nursery place for an under-two fell 39% in a year for families eligible for 30 funded hours, while ineligible families still pay about £189 a week for part-time care and prices kept rising in Scotland and Wales. The contrast is the clearest evidence on this page that subsidy design, not only market prices, decides what parents pay.
Fewer babies are being born across the U.S., the UK and the EU. The CDC counted 3,606,400 U.S. births in 2025, the ONS recorded 585,396 in England and Wales, the fewest since 1977, and Eurostat puts the EU fertility rate at 1.34. Pew's research suggests money is part of the story, with 36% of childless adults under 50 citing affordability, but more say they simply do not want children. Fewer births feed directly into baby product markets: Circana shows U.S. juvenile product sales down 6% in 2024 and 4% more in the year to March 2026, while the National Diaper Bank Network finds 47% of families with young children struggle to afford diapers.
Screens are part of family life from the first year. Common Sense Media finds 40% of children own a tablet by age two and children eight and under average about 2.5 hours a day, and Pew reports that 62% of children under two watch YouTube, up from 45% in 2020. Time use data from BLS shows parents of children under six spend 2.3 hours a day on direct childcare, with mothers doing about an hour more than fathers, which helps explain why screens are often used to buy time.
What it costs to raise a child and have a baby
- 1.
USDA estimates that a middle-income married couple will spend $233,610 raising a child born in 2015 from birth through age 17, in 2015 dollars and excluding college.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Families Projected to Spend an Average of $233,610 Raising a Child Born in 2015 (Jan 2017)
Exact wording at the source
estimates that for a child born in 2015, a middle-income* married-couple family will spend between $12,350 and $13,900 annually (in 2015 dollars) – or $233,610 from birth through age 17 – on child-rearing expenses.
- 2.
In the same USDA estimate, a middle-income married couple spends between $12,350 and $13,900 a year on a child, in 2015 dollars.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Families Projected to Spend an Average of $233,610 Raising a Child Born in 2015 (Jan 2017)
Exact wording at the source
a middle-income* married-couple family will spend between $12,350 and $13,900 annually (in 2015 dollars)
- 3.
USDA projects that lower-income families spend $174,690 and higher-income families $372,210 raising a child born in 2015 through age 17.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Families Projected to Spend an Average of $233,610 Raising a Child Born in 2015 (Jan 2017)
Exact wording at the source
Families with lower incomes are expected to spend $174,690 and families with higher incomes are expected to spend $372,210 from birth through age 17.
- 4.
Housing is the largest share of child-rearing costs in the USDA estimate at 29%, followed by food at 18% and childcare and education at 16%.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Families Projected to Spend an Average of $233,610 Raising a Child Born in 2015 (Jan 2017)
Exact wording at the source
Housing (29 percent) and food (18 percent) account for the largest share of child-rearing expenses for middle-income, married-couple families, followed by childcare/education (16 percent), transportation (15 percent), and health care (9 percent).
- 5.
Health costs tied to pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care average $20,416 for women in U.S. employer health plans, including $2,743 paid out of pocket (Peterson-KFF analysis of 2021 to 2023 claims).
Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, Health costs associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care (Sep 2025)
Exact wording at the source
On average, the health costs associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and post-partum care amount to $20,416, including $2,743 in out-of-pocket expenses, for women enrolled in employer plans.
- 6.
Pregnancies ending in a C-section cost an average of $28,998 in employer plans, against $15,712 for a vaginal delivery, according to Peterson-KFF.
Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, Health costs associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care (Sep 2025)
Exact wording at the source
costs for pregnancies resulting in a vaginal delivery average $15,712 ($2,563 of which is paid out-of-pocket), while those resulting in cesarean section (C-section) average $28,998 ($3,071 of which is paid out-of-pocket).
- 7.
Medical costs for a child's first two years average $16,575 in U.S. employer plans, with $1,511 paid out of pocket (Peterson-KFF).
Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, Health costs associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care (Sep 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Additionally, the medical costs associated with toddlers in their first two years of life average $16,575, with $1,511 paid out-of-pocket.
Chart
Share of child-rearing costs by category, middle-income married couples
USDA estimate for a child born in 2015, birth through age 17, middle-income married-couple families.
- Housing29%
- Food18%
- Childcare and education16%
- Transportation15%
- Health care9%
- Other7%
- Clothing6%
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Families Projected to Spend an Average of $233,610 Raising a Child Born in 2015
Childcare prices in the United States
- 8.
The national average annual price of childcare in the U.S. was $13,184 in 2025, according to Child Care Aware of America, based on 47 states with price data.
Child Care Aware of America, Child Care in America: 2025 Price & Supply (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
CCAoA found that the national average annual price of child care in 2025 was $13,184 .
- 9.
The average childcare price equals 10% of median income for a two-parent household and 33% for a single-parent household in 2025 (Child Care Aware of America).
Child Care Aware of America, Child Care Prices Rival Major Household Expenses; Supply Fails to Keep Pace with Demand (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
This price takes up 10% of the median income in two-parent households, and 33% for a single-parent household.
- 10.
U.S. childcare prices rose 23% from 2021 to 2025, close to the 24% rise in overall prices over the same period.
Child Care Aware of America, Child Care in America: 2025 Price & Supply (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
From 2021 to 2025, child care prices increased by 23%. Over the same five-year period, overall prices rose by 24%, meaning child care prices increased at a rate that was close to inflation.
- 11.
Only 15% of children eligible for federal childcare subsidies receive them, according to Child Care Aware of America.
Child Care Aware of America, Child Care Prices Rival Major Household Expenses; Supply Fails to Keep Pace with Demand (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Only 15% of eligible children receive federal subsidies.
- 12.
The median amount U.S. parents paid for childcare was $250 a week in 2025, and $350 for those using at least 20 hours a week (Federal Reserve SHED).
Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Living Arrangements and Care Work (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The median weekly amount that parents paid for childcare was $250, and $350 among those who used paid childcare for at least 20 hours each week.
- 13.
Families paying for both housing and childcare spent a median $1,083 a month on childcare in 2025, more than half their median housing payment of $1,900.
Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Living Arrangements and Care Work (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Median monthly childcare payments were $1,083, which is over half of the median housing payment (either a mortgage or rent) of $1,900 among families who paid for both housing and childcare.
- 14.
Families using at least 20 hours of paid childcare a week paid a median $1,517 a month in 2025, over three quarters of their median $2,000 housing payment.
Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Living Arrangements and Care Work (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Families who used at least 20 hours of childcare also paid substantially more, with a median of $1,517 per month, which is more than three-quarters of the median housing payment of $2,000 among families who paid for housing and who used at least 20 hours of childcare per week.
Chart
Median monthly childcare vs housing payments, U.S., 2025
Federal Reserve Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking, fielded October 2025, families paying for both childcare and housing.
- Childcare, all paying families$1,083
- Housing, all paying families$1,900
- Childcare, 20+ hours a week$1,517
- Housing, 20+ hours a week$2,000
Source: Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Living Arrangements and Care Work
Who uses childcare and how working parents cope
- 15.
34% of U.S. parents living with children under six used paid childcare in the week before the Federal Reserve's 2025 survey.
Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Living Arrangements and Care Work (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Even among parents living with their children under age six, a modest 34 percent used paid childcare in the past week.
- 16.
44% of U.S. parents with children under 13 used some form of unpaid childcare in 2025 (Federal Reserve SHED).
Federal Reserve Board, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Living Arrangements and Care Work (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Among those with children under age 13, 44 percent used some form of unpaid childcare.
- 17.
The number of licensed childcare centers in the U.S. fell 1% from 2024 to 2025, the first decrease after several years of growth, while family childcare homes rose 1.4%.
Child Care Aware of America, Child Care Prices Rival Major Household Expenses; Supply Fails to Keep Pace with Demand (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The number of licensed child care centers declined slightly (1%) from 2024 to 2025—the first decrease after several years of growth—while family child care homes increased modestly (1.4%).
- 18.
48% of U.S. working parents who need care for a child age 5 or younger say it is hard to find care that meets their cost expectations (Pew Research Center, 2026).
Pew Research Center, For Working Parents, the Boundary Between Work and Family Is Often Blurred (Jun 2026)
Exact wording at the source
About half (48%) of working parents who need care for a child age 5 or younger say it's difficult to find an arrangement that meets their cost expectations.
- 19.
Just 6% of U.S. working parents say on-site childcare is available at their workplace, while 59% of those with a child age 5 or younger say it would be highly helpful (Pew Research Center).
Pew Research Center, For Working Parents, the Boundary Between Work and Family Is Often Blurred (Jun 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Some 43% of working parents – and 59% of those with a child age 5 or younger – say this would be highly helpful. But just 6% of working parents say this is available at their workplace.
- 20.
52% of full-time working parents in the U.S. say their job makes it harder to be a good parent (Pew Research Center, 2026).
Pew Research Center, For Working Parents, the Boundary Between Work and Family Is Often Blurred (Jun 2026)
Exact wording at the source
About half of full-time working parents (52%) say their job makes it harder to be a good parent.
- 21.
U.S. adults in households with children under 6 spent an average of 2.3 hours a day on primary childcare in 2025 (American Time Use Survey).
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Time Use Survey Summary, 2025 results (Jun 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Adults living in households with children under age 6 spent an average of 2.3 hours per day providing primary childcare to household children.
- 22.
In homes with children under 6, women spent 2.8 hours a day on primary childcare in 2025 compared with 1.7 hours for men (BLS).
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Time Use Survey Summary, 2025 results (Jun 2026)
Exact wording at the source
women spent an hour more than men providing primary childcare to household children--2.8 hours compared to 1.7 hours.
Childcare costs in Great Britain
- 23.
The price of a full-time (50 hour) nursery place for a child under two in England fell 39% from 2025 to 2026 for families eligible for funded hours (Coram Childcare Survey 2026).
Coram Family and Childcare, 25 years of Childcare Survey shows the impact of expanded entitlements on childcare costs for under-twos in England (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
whilst the cost of a full-time (50 – hour) place has fallen by 39 % on 2025, according to the Childcare Survey 2026
- 24.
Families in England who are not eligible for funded hours pay an average of £189 a week for a part-time nursery place for a child under two (Coram, 2026).
Coram Family and Childcare, 25 years of Childcare Survey shows the impact of expanded entitlements on childcare costs for under-twos in England (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
have to pay an average of £189 per week for a part-time nursery place for a child under two
- 25.
A part-time nursery place for a child under two costs an average of £133.08 a week in Scotland in 2026, up 5% on 2025 (Coram).
Coram Family and Childcare, 25 years of Childcare Survey shows the impact of expanded entitlements on childcare costs for under-twos in England (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
a part-time nursery place for a child under two now costing an average of £133.08 per week in Scotland, an increase of 5% on 2025
- 26.
In Wales a part-time nursery place for a child under two averages £166.33 a week in 2026, an 8% increase on 2025 (Coram).
Coram Family and Childcare, 25 years of Childcare Survey shows the impact of expanded entitlements on childcare costs for under-twos in England (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
an average of £166.33 in Wales, an 8% increase on 2025
- 27.
Full-time nursery places for three- and four-year-olds cost 9% more in England in 2026 than in 2025, and 6% more in both Scotland and Wales (Coram).
Coram Family and Childcare, 25 years of Childcare Survey shows the impact of expanded entitlements on childcare costs for under-twos in England (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
the costs for full-time nursery places for these children have increased on 2025 by 9% in England, 6% in Scotland and 6% in Wales.
Births and fertility rates
- 28.
There were 3,606,400 births in the U.S. in 2025, a 1% decline from 2024, according to provisional CDC data.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Births: Provisional Data for 2025 (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The provisional number of births for the United States in 2025 was 3,606,400, a 1% decline from 2024.
- 29.
The U.S. general fertility rate was 53.1 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 in 2025, down 1% from 2024 (CDC NCHS).
CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Births: Provisional Data for 2025 (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The general fertility rate was 53.1 births per 1,000 females ages 15–44, also a 1% decline from 2024.
- 30.
The U.S. general fertility rate has fallen 23% since 2007 (CDC NCHS).
CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Births: Provisional Data for 2025 (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The rate has generally declined since 2007, decreasing by 23%
- 31.
32.5% of U.S. births in 2025 were cesarean deliveries, the highest rate since 2013 (CDC NCHS).
CDC National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Births down 1% in 2025 (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The cesarean delivery rate increased to 32.5% in 2025, marking the highest rate since 2013.
- 32.
The total fertility rate in England and Wales was 1.39 children per woman in 2025, down from 1.41 in 2024 (ONS).
Office for National Statistics, Births in England and Wales: 2025 (final rates) (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Total fertility rate (TFR) was 1.39 children per woman in England and Wales in 2025, a decrease of 0.02 from 2024
- 33.
England and Wales recorded 585,396 live births in 2025, 1.6% fewer than in 2024 and the lowest number since 1977 (ONS).
Office for National Statistics, Births in England and Wales: 2025 (final rates) (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
There were 585,396 live births in England and Wales in 2025, which is 1.6% fewer than the 594,677 recorded in 2024
- 34.
The standardised mean age of mothers in England and Wales rose to 31.1 years in 2025, and fathers to 34.0 years (ONS).
Office for National Statistics, Births in England and Wales: 2025 (final rates) (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
mothers' SMA was 31.1 years, and fathers' SMA was 34.0 years in 2025.
- 35.
The EU total fertility rate fell to 1.34 live births per woman in 2024, from 1.38 in 2023, the lowest since the EU series began in 2001 (Eurostat).
Eurostat, EU fertility rate at 1.34 live births per woman in 2024 (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The total fertility rate for 2024 was 1.34 live births per woman in the EU, down from 1.38 in 2023. This is the lowest rate since 2001
- 36.
3.55 million babies were born in the EU in 2024, 3.3% fewer than the 3.67 million born in 2023 (Eurostat).
Eurostat, EU fertility rate at 1.34 live births per woman in 2024 (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
3.55 million babies were born in the EU , a 3.3% decrease from the 3.67 million in 2023.
- 37.
47% of U.S. adults under 50 without children said in 2023 they are unlikely to ever have kids, up from 37% in 2018 (Pew Research Center).
Pew Research Center, The Experiences of U.S. Adults Who Don't Have Children (Jul 2024)
Exact wording at the source
the share of U.S. adults younger than 50 without children who say they are unlikely to ever have kids rose 10 percentage points between 2018 and 2023 (from 37% to 47%)
- 38.
36% of U.S. adults under 50 who are unlikely to have children say a major reason is that they cannot afford to raise a child (Pew Research Center, 2024).
Pew Research Center, The Experiences of U.S. Adults Who Don't Have Children (Jul 2024)
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They can't afford to raise a child (36% vs. 12%)
Chart
Major reasons U.S. adults under 50 give for being unlikely to have children
Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults ages 18 to 49 without children who say they are unlikely to have them, 2024.
- Just don't want to57%
- Want to focus on other things44%
- State of the world38%
- Can't afford to raise a child36%
- The environment26%
- Don't really like children20%
Source: Pew Research Center, The Experiences of U.S. Adults Who Don't Have Children
Baby products, diapers and feeding
- 39.
U.S. retail sales of juvenile products fell 6% in 2024 to $7.3 billion, according to Circana's Retail Tracking Service.
Circana, U.S. Juvenile Products Sales Decline 6% in 2024, Circana Reports (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
today announced that retail sales for the U.S. juvenile products industry declined by 6% in 2024 to $7.3 billion, compared to 2023.
- 40.
Car seats were the one bright spot in U.S. juvenile products in 2024, growing 2% while the overall market fell (Circana).
Circana, U.S. Juvenile Products Sales Decline 6% in 2024, Circana Reports (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Travel, the largest category, had the slowest and smallest decline – driven by car seats, which grew 2% for the year.
- 41.
U.S. juvenile product dollar sales fell 4% in the 12 months ending March 2026, with units falling faster (Circana).
Circana, Juvenile Products Industry Demonstrates Resilience Amid Regional Divergence in the Americas (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The U.S. juvenile products market experienced a dollar sales decline of 4% in the past 12 months, and units sold declined at a faster rate, signaling softer consumer demand.
- 42.
The average selling price of U.S. juvenile products rose 3% in the 12 months ending March 2026, partly offsetting lower unit sales (Circana).
Circana, Juvenile Products Industry Demonstrates Resilience Amid Regional Divergence in the Americas (Apr 2026)
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Despite lower volumes, ASP grew by 3%, partially offsetting the unit declines.
- 43.
47% of U.S. families with young children had difficulty affording diapers in 2024, the same rate as in 2023 (National Diaper Bank Network with YouGov).
National Diaper Bank Network, Half of U.S. families can't afford diapers: advocates launch awareness week to address public health crisis (Sep 2024)
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The NDBN Diaper Check 2024 finds that 47% of U.S. families with young children have difficulty affording diapers.
- 44.
In 56% of U.S. families reporting diaper need, the parent surveyed showed high levels of depressive symptoms, compared with 20% of families without diaper need (National Diaper Bank Network, 2024).
National Diaper Bank Network, Half of U.S. families can't afford diapers: advocates launch awareness week to address public health crisis (Sep 2024)
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For example, in 56% of families reporting diaper need, the adult who completed the survey reported high-levels of depressive symptoms, indicating probable major depressive disorder.
- 45.
86.1% of U.S. infants born in 2023 were ever breastfed, 62.8% were still breastfed at 6 months and 40.8% at 1 year (CDC).
CDC National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, About Breastfeeding Data (Jul 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Percentage of infants who are breastfed: Ever.* 86.1% At 6 months.* 62.8% At 1 year.* 40.8%
- 46.
22.6% of U.S. infants born in 2023 received formula supplementation within the first two days of life (CDC).
CDC National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, About Breastfeeding Data (Jul 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Receive formula supplementation within the first 2 days of life.* 22.6%
Screen time for babies and young children
- 47.
U.S. children age 8 and under spend about 2.5 hours a day on screens, a level that has held steady since 2020 (Common Sense Media census, surveyed 2024).
Common Sense Media, Digital Childhood Starts at Age Two: Landmark Study Shows Evolution of Young Children's Media Use (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
finds that 40% of children have a tablet by age 2, and their screen time remains steady at about 2.5 hours per day
- 48.
40% of U.S. children have their own tablet by age 2, and 58% by age 4 (Common Sense Media).
Common Sense Media, Digital Childhood Starts at Age Two: Landmark Study Shows Evolution of Young Children's Media Use (Feb 2025)
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By age 2, four in 10 children have their own tablet (40%). By age 4, more than half (58%) of children have their own tablet.
- 49.
51% of U.S. children age 8 and younger have their own tablet or cellphone (Common Sense Media).
Common Sense Media, Digital Childhood Starts at Age Two: Landmark Study Shows Evolution of Young Children's Media Use (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Overall, 51% of children age 8 and younger have their own mobile device (tablet or cellphone).
- 50.
Gaming time among U.S. children age 8 and under has risen 65% since 2020 (Common Sense Media).
Common Sense Media, Digital Childhood Starts at Age Two: Landmark Study Shows Evolution of Young Children's Media Use (Feb 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Gaming time has surged 65% since 2020, and traditional TV viewing has declined
- 51.
Children age 8 and under in lower-income U.S. households spend 3 hours 48 minutes a day with screens, against 1 hour 52 minutes in higher-income households (Common Sense Media).
Common Sense Media, Digital Childhood Starts at Age Two: Landmark Study Shows Evolution of Young Children's Media Use (Feb 2025)
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Children from lower-income households are spending nearly twice as much time with screens compared to those from higher-income households (3:48 vs. 1:52 minutes daily).
- 52.
68% of U.S. parents of children 12 and under say their child uses a tablet and 61% say their child uses a smartphone (Pew Research Center, 2025).
Pew Research Center, How Parents Manage Screen Time for Kids (Oct 2025)
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Nine-in-ten parents of kids ages 12 and younger say their child ever watches TV, 68% say they use a tablet and 61% say they use a smartphone.
- 53.
82% of U.S. parents of a child under 2 say their child ever watches TV (Pew Research Center, 2025).
Pew Research Center, How Parents Manage Screen Time for Kids (Oct 2025)
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Vast majorities of parents say their kids ever watch TV – including 82% who say so about a child under 2.
- 54.
62% of U.S. parents of a child under 2 say their child watches YouTube, up from 45% in 2020 (Pew Research Center).
Pew Research Center, How Parents Manage Screen Time for Kids (Oct 2025)
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That includes a jump from 45% to 62% among parents of a child under 2.
Chart
Young children who watch YouTube daily, by age, 2020 vs 2025
Share of U.S. parents saying their child watches YouTube daily, Pew Research Center surveys of parents in 2020 and May 2025.
- Under 2, 202024%
- Under 2, 202535%
- Ages 2 to 4, 202038%
- Ages 2 to 4, 202551%
Source: Pew Research Center, How Parents Manage Screen Time for Kids
Questions readers ask
- How much does it cost to raise a child in the U.S.?
- The latest USDA estimate is $233,610 for a middle-income married couple raising a child born in 2015 through age 17, in 2015 dollars, or $12,350 to $13,900 a year. It excludes pregnancy and college, and USDA has not published a newer edition while it reviews its methods.
- How much does childcare cost per year?
- Child Care Aware of America puts the U.S. national average at $13,184 a year in 2025, about 10% of median income for a two-parent household and 33% for a single parent. The Federal Reserve finds families who pay for care spend a median $1,083 a month.
- How much does it cost to have a baby?
- Peterson-KFF finds health costs tied to pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care average $20,416 for women in employer health plans, including $2,743 paid out of pocket. A C-section averages $28,998, against $15,712 for a vaginal delivery.
- Are birth rates falling?
- Yes. The CDC counted 3,606,400 U.S. births in 2025, down 1%, and the general fertility rate is 23% below 2007. The total fertility rate was 1.39 in England and Wales in 2025 (ONS) and 1.34 in the EU in 2024 (Eurostat), the lowest since 2001.
- How much screen time do young children get?
- Common Sense Media finds U.S. children age 8 and under average about 2.5 hours of screen time a day, and 40% have their own tablet by age 2. Pew reports 62% of parents of children under 2 say their child watches YouTube.
Where these numbers come from
We chose figures that describe the cost of raising children, childcare prices and use, births and fertility, spending on baby products and essentials, and young children's screen use. Each figure links to the publisher that produced the data, and every quote was checked against the live page. Sources measure different things: Child Care Aware of America compiles state-reported prices for licensed care, the Federal Reserve and Pew survey parents directly, BLS measures time use, Coram surveys local authorities in Great Britain, and Circana tracks retail point of sale data. Common Sense Media and Pew screen time figures are parent reports, not device logs. The USDA estimate is from 2015 and in 2015 dollars, and the Peterson-KFF cost figures cover people with employer health insurance only. CDC birth figures for 2025 are provisional. We left out Ofcom figures because its pages blocked automated checking during our review, and we did not use market research estimates that are not openly published. We store the sentence each number appears in, and a script loads the publisher's page again to make sure that sentence is still there. Our methodology has the details.
Sources
- CDC National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. About Breastfeeding Data (Jul 2026).
- CDC National Center for Health Statistics. Births: Provisional Data for 2025 (Apr 2026).
- CDC National Center for Health Statistics. U.S. Births down 1% in 2025 (Apr 2026).
- Child Care Aware of America. Child Care in America: 2025 Price & Supply (May 2026).
- Child Care Aware of America. Child Care Prices Rival Major Household Expenses; Supply Fails to Keep Pace with Demand (May 2026).
- Circana. U.S. Juvenile Products Sales Decline 6% in 2024, Circana Reports (Feb 2025).
- Circana. Juvenile Products Industry Demonstrates Resilience Amid Regional Divergence in the Americas (Apr 2026).
- Common Sense Media. Digital Childhood Starts at Age Two: Landmark Study Shows Evolution of Young Children's Media Use (Feb 2025).
- Coram Family and Childcare. 25 years of Childcare Survey shows the impact of expanded entitlements on childcare costs for under-twos in England (Mar 2026).
- Eurostat. EU fertility rate at 1.34 live births per woman in 2024 (Mar 2026).
- Federal Reserve Board. Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025: Living Arrangements and Care Work (May 2026).
- National Diaper Bank Network. Half of U.S. families can't afford diapers: advocates launch awareness week to address public health crisis (Sep 2024).
- Office for National Statistics. Births in England and Wales: 2025 (final rates) (Sep 2026).
- Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker. Health costs associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care (Sep 2025).
- Pew Research Center. For Working Parents, the Boundary Between Work and Family Is Often Blurred (Jun 2026).
- Pew Research Center. The Experiences of U.S. Adults Who Don't Have Children (Jul 2024).
- Pew Research Center. How Parents Manage Screen Time for Kids (Oct 2025).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. American Time Use Survey Summary, 2025 results (Jun 2026).
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. Families Projected to Spend an Average of $233,610 Raising a Child Born in 2015 (Jan 2017).
Citing this page
Link to this page or to a single numbered figure. If you reuse a number, name the organization that released it in the first place.
Comredix. (2026, November 13). Parenting and Baby Products Statistics 2026. https://comredix.com/baby-and-parenting-statistics
Found a number that changed or a source that moved? Email editorial@comredix.com. We plan to check this page again by January 12, 2027.