USDA Releases 2009 Estimate of Cost of Raising Children: Monthly Housing Cost Per Child is $153-$297 Depending on Location and Family Composition.

Report is HERE: PDF pages 14-15 are a discussion of method of estimating housing costs; tables are found in PDF pages 32 to 38. 

I created the table below to show the differing housing expenses based on location and family composition. 

I added a column that shows the % of average income per child for housing expense, it varies from a high of 11% for US single parent household to a low of 5% for a Husband/Wife family in the rural US.

Observations:

1. There is BIG difference in average income between single parent and husband wife households
2. Housing expense per child in the URBAN West for a husband wife family are the highest at $297 per month-that's 95% HIGHER than the husband wife, RURAL all US per child monthly housing expense of $153.

HH Type, Location	Housing Expense	MONTHLY Housing Expense	Income Group	Average income	CALCULATED: Housing Expense/ Average Income	Table
Single Head of Household,  ALL US	$  2,810	$           234	$  56,670	$  25,130	11%	7
Husband, Wife, ALL US	$  2,961	$           247	$  56,670	$  36,250	8%	1
Husband, Wife, URBAN West	$  3,560	$           297	$  56,650	$  36,230	10%	3
Husband, Wife, RURAL ALL US	$  1,830	$           153	$  56,880	$  36,380	5%	6

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.