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A new U.S. Department of Agriculture report shows that parents are facing rising costs to raise their children.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday released its annual report, “Expenditures on Children by Families,” also known as the Cost of Raising a Child.
The report shows that a middle-income family with a child born in 2013 can expect to spend about $245,340 ($304,480 adjusted for projected inflation) for food, housing, childcare and education, and other child-rearing expenses up to age 18.
Costs associated with pregnancy or expenses occurred after age 18, such as higher education, are not included.
While this represents an overall 1.8 percent increase from 2012, the percentages spent on each expenditure category remain the same.
As in the past, the costs by location are lower in the urban South ($230,610) and rural ($193,590) regions of the country.
Families in the urban Northeast incurred the highest costs to raise a child ($282,480).
“In today's economy, it's important to be prepared with as much information as possible when planning for the future,” said USDA Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Under Secretary Kevin Concannon. “In addition to giving families with children an indication of expenses they might want to be prepared for, the report is a critical resource for state governments in determining child support guidelines and foster care payments.”
The report, issued annually, is based on data from the federal government's Consumer Expenditure Survey, the most comprehensive source of information available on household expenditures.
For the year 2013, annual child-rearing expenses per child for a middle-income, two-parent family ranged from $12,800 to $14,970, depending on the age of the child. A middle-income family is defined as the middle third of the income distribution for a two-parent family with children.
The report, developed by the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP), notes that family income affects child-rearing costs.
A family earning less than $61,530 per year can expect to spend a total of $176,550 (in 2013 dollars) on a child from birth up to age 18.
Middle-income parents with an income between $61,530 and $106,540 can expect to spend $245,340; and a family earning more than $106,540 can expect to spend $407,820.
“Food is among the top three expenses in raising children,” said CNPP Executive Director Angela Tagtow. “Parents have the challenge of providing food that is not only healthful and delicious, but also affordable. We have great resources such as ChooseMyPlate.gov that features tips to help families serve nutritious and affordable meals. I encourage parents to check out our Healthy Eating On a Budget resources, 10-Tips Nutrition Series, recipes, and MyPlate Kids' Place, which features digital games for kids to get engaged themselves in healthy eating.”
For middle-income families, housing costs are the single largest expenditure on a child, averaging 30 percent of the total cost. Child care and education was the second largest expense at 18 percent, followed by food, which accounted for 16 percent of the total cost.
“Variations by geographic region are marked when we look at housing, for example,” said study author and CNPP economist Mark Lino, Ph.D. “The average cost of housing for a child up to age 18 is $87,840 for a middle-income family in the urban West, compared to $66,240 in the urban South, and $70,200 in the urban Midwest. It's interesting to note that other studies are showing that families are increasingly moving to these areas of the country with lower housing cost.”
In 1960, the first year the report was issued, a middle-income family could have expected to spend $25,230 ($198,560 in 2013 dollars) to raise a child until the age of 18. Housing was the largest child-rearing expense both then and now. Health care expenses for a child have doubled as a percentage of total child-rearing costs during that time. In addition, some common current-day costs, such as child care, were negligible in 1960.
Expenses per child decrease as a family has more children. Families with three or more children spend 22 percent less per child than families with two children. As families have more children, the children can share bedrooms, clothing and toys can be handed down to younger children, food can be purchased in larger and more economical quantities, and private schools or child care centers may offer sibling discounts.
The full report, Expenditures on Children by Families, 2013, is available on the Web at www.cnpp.usda.gov .
In addition, families can enter the number and ages of their children to obtain an estimate of costs with an interactive calculator at http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/tools/CRC_Calculator/default.aspx .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A hunter who suffered a gunshot wound in the Mendocino National Forest on Saturday was transported out of a remote area of the forest with assistance from Cal Fire's Copter 104.
Northshore Fire medics and US Forest Service personnel were first dispatched to the accidental shooting in the forest above Upper Lake just after 5 p.m. Saturday, according to radio reports.
A man had called to report that his 62-year-old brother had been injured while hunting in the forest, radio reports indicated.
Copter 104, based at the Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit's Boggs Mountain Helitack, was dispatched a short time later, arriving in the area at approximately 6:23 p.m., Cal Fire reported.
Cal Fire said Copter 104's crew located the victim approximately one mile north of the High Glade lookout tower in the Mendocino National Forest, midslope on a steep ridgeline.
The crew from Copter 104 lowered two rescuers to evaluate and triage the patient, Cal Fire reported.
Due to the hunter's unstable condition, Cal Fire said he was extracted via the hoist utilizing a stokes basket.
The patient was flown to a nearby landing zone, where his medical care was transferred to the CalStar 4 medivac crew for further evaluation. Cal Fire said the man was subsequently transported to an area hospital.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Five cats at Lake County Animal Care and Control are ready to go to new homes this week.
The cats – four males and a female– range in age between 4 months and 2 years, and come in a variety of coat lengths and colors.
In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.
In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .
The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).
Male domestic short hair mix kitten
This male domestic short hair mix is 4 months old.
He has gold eyes, a white and gray coat, weighs 4.2 pounds and has been neutered.
He's in cat room kennel No. 6, ID No. 40066.
'Rollo'
“Rollo” is a 2-year-old male tabby.
He has a short buff-colored coat, weighs 9 pounds and has gold eyes, and has been neutered.
He's in cat room kennel No. 10, ID No. 40277.
Female domestic long hair mix
This female domestic long hair mix cat is 2 years old.
She has dilute tortie markings, weighs 10 pounds and has been spayed.
She's in cat room kennel No. 56, ID No. 39764.
Male orange tabby
This male orange tabby is 5 months old.
He has a short coat and has not been neutered.
He's in cat room kennel No. 78a, ID No. 40501.
Male gray tabby
This male gray tabby is 5 months old.
He has a short coat and has not been neutered.
Find him in cat room kennel No. 78b, ID No. 40502.
Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .
Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.
To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Firefighters have stopped the growth on the Lodge Fire in Mendocino County, with officials reporting that all evacuation warnings have been lifted.
The fire, which lightning sparked in the Wilderness Lodge/Eel River Canyon area near Laytonville on July 30, has burned a total of 12,346 acres and is 80-percent contained, Cal Fire said Sunday night.
To date, 15 injuries have been reported on the incident, which Cal Fire estimated has cost $36.9 million to fight.
Cal Fire reported that the evacuation warnings that had been in effect for areas near the fire have been lifted.
On Sunday fire crews continued patrolling the complex area, looking for spot fires within the contingency lines. Cal Fire said the area's rugged terrain made access difficult.
Fire resources continue to be released from the Lodge Complex to other incidents or back to their home units, Cal Fire said.
On Sunday, personnel assigned to the complex numbered approximately 1,199 – less than half of the personnel assigned at the incident's peak last week – along with 41 fire engines, 48 fire crews, seven bulldozers, two helicopters and three water tenders.
Cal Fire and cooperating agencies on the fire thanked the community and local businesses for their overwhelming support and hospitality.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LOWER LAKE, Calif. - If you're from the south Lake County area, you've no doubt heard it; you may well have boasted it yourself: “Lower. Lower Lake!”
The mighty call of the Trojans is being kept alive and well by a spirit squad 19-strong ready to ignite the pride of Lower Lake High School.
The Lower Lake cheerleading team has been working together to hone its skills and learn new moves all the while, building a bond amongst the team.
“My approach to a solid team is simple: Don't be selfish, we are team. Try your hardest, respect the team and most of all respect yourselves,” cheer instructor Angie Wade said.
Wade is taking a different approach to coaching the team.
“We have a new program. I came in with a desire to have a competitive group of cheerleaders who can cheer, tumble, dance and stunt at a level that wins championships,” she said. “This has been a challenge and most of the team has embraced the hard work and has focused on being the best they can be. The team has worked hard over the summer so that when game time comes, they are ready.”
Wade said the team is taking advantage of every opportunity to enhance its skills.
She said the team recently spent a day in Sacramento where they worked with a professional on drum line routines.
Drum line performance is new to the team, Wade said, and while there was not a specific program available, the instructor designed one for the squad and invited them, on a Saturday, to Sacramento.
Wade said a group of two girls and five boys, playing different types of drums, will accompany the squad during their drum line routines in upcoming sports seasons.
“They have never worked with drum lines before,” she said. “They are really excited about it and on Sept. 6 they will be going to Davis to perform with the band.”
The squad also has been attending cheer camps that have earned some team members a spot on a national squad.
In late July, the team made a strong showing at Jamz Camp, a two-day competitive and instructional event.
Sophomore Roxana Olivares, 14, a first-year cheerleader, said she especially enjoyed learning new types dances that she said you do not usually get to do in cheer.
But even more so, she said she favored the bonding experience she had with her squad mates.
“Mostly it was bonding with my team. I had to work with people I usually don't work with and we found out we work so well together,” she said.
Johanna Anderson, a 17-year-old junior who has been cheering for several years, said while it's a lot of fun and “you get to make everyone smile and show their spirit,” it's the unbreakable bond that is formed with teammates that kept her cheering for so long.
Anderson appreciated the Jamz Camp experience, which she said was a 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily workout.
“There were a lot of different things like proper ways of stunting, different moves in dancing and they teach in such an easy form it's really fun to learn,” she said. “And there is bonding. You get closer with everybody.”
Wade said the cheerleaders were in constant competition at Jamz Camp, where ribbons were awarded daily based on various skills such as strictness, stunting, dance moves, etc.
“(The instructors) would come around and tie a ribbon in their hair. It was based heavily on effort but also on skill,” she said. “Out of 1,000 kids, about 25 ribbons were given and our team got four.”
The ribbons received by the four represent an invitation to perform in a national squad during the Capitol One Bowl in Orlando, Florida on New Year's Day.
The girls will have the opportunity to work with professional choreographers and squad leaders for performance in the halftime show.
Anderson said she already has her airfare secured for the trip.
“I feel really proud of myself. I didn't know they were doing that and to be surprised, it's just really breathtaking,” she said. “The best part was telling my mom. She was so proud. She is always proud, but she was really proud.”
Freshman Haylee Wade, 13, in her first year of cheer; and Gladys Lopez, 15-year-old sophomore in her second, also received ribbons. The girls said instructors made the experience easy and were supportive.
“They made it challenging but at the same time it was fun so it was less stressful,” Haylee Wade said. “I really got into it. Dance routines were fast but not too fast and the music drew you right into it.”
“The dances they got us into, they were so full of spirit and energy and excitement,” Lopez added.
The girls said they saw the spirit of the team invigorated by the Jamz Camp experience. “Before we went we were all quiet. Now that we've bonded we are not quiet anymore,” Haylee Wade said. “I'm excited to get back and do it here.”
The squad is preparing for several up coming competitions. They will be participating in the Discovery Kingdom Classic on Oct. 12 in Vallejo. The event includes multiple divisions and is a qualifier for the national competition sponsored by Jamz.
The squad is anticipates the National Cheerleading Association's qualifying event in Sacramento to be held on Valentine's Day next year.
A 3.0 grade point average is required by Angie Wade for participation on her squad, which she is assisted in coaching by Audra Ogulin.
“My goal is to graduate academic athletes and we offer tutoring and assistance to those who struggle,” Wade said, adding working with the school and the community is also important.
The squad participated in this year's Redbud Parade and Festival, celebrating Independence Day in July, taking home a couple of trophies for their outstanding performance. They also sponsored a dunk tank that added to the festival's featured events.
Wade said fundraising efforts are ongoing to assist with cheerleading expenses such as uniforms, equipment competition travel.
Additionally the team is anticipating the arrival of a new mascot uniform currently under design by a company in Canada.
The team's next fundraiser is an all-you-eat pizza event from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27, at DJ's Pizza in Lower Lake. The requested donation is $8.
The team also is seeking donations from the community.
For more information regarding donations, contact Angie Wade at 707-553-0812.
To keep up with the Lower Lake High School Cheerleading Squad, find them and like them on Facebook.
Email Denise Rockenstein at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Students in the Yuba College Culinary Arts program will cook up a storm for the third annual fundraiser dinner for the Children’s Museum of Art and Science.
This fun family event is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Aromas Café on the Yuba College Clear Lake Campus, 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake.
Chef Robert Cabreros will supervise the students’ creation of the many tasty “tapas” – “small plates” – which will feature local produce and be served buffet-style. In years past, the student-made desserts have had rave reviews.
The evening will feature “InVoice,” a talented group of local musicians. The voices of Bill Bordisso, Libby Larson, Keith Larson and Doug Harris will be fine-tuned to deliver harmony, melody and vocal syncopation to delight every ear.
In addition, there will be a raffle of baskets and goods donated by supporters. Raffle baskets featured at previous events have contained a wide variety of items – something to pique every fancy.
CMAS is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization whose mission is to provide free art and science experiences to the students of Lake County.
Currently CMAS operates three programs.
CMAS and its partner, the Lake County Office of Education, support the Rocket Club, which meets weekly at the Taylor Observatory in Kelseyville. Students learn about physics and aeronautics, then assemble and launch their rockets.
CMAS also offers free two-hour workshops in which students can use its Lego robot kits. Robot workshops are available for after school programs or classrooms, for public schools, charter schools, private schools or clusters of homeschooled students.
For the past nine years CMAS has offered fourth through sixth graders throughout the county an opportunity to attend a one-day art and science camp.
This free camp takes place the first Saturday in May at the Ely Stage Stop and the Taylor Observatory.
Tickets for the Sept. 6 dinner cost $20 per person and may be purchased at Marie’s Feed in Clearlake and the Travel Center in Lakeport, by calling 707-994-2878 or emailing
Tickets also may be purchased at the door but are limited to 100, so a call to reserve tickets is advisable.