This story originally appeared on RetailMeNot.
While the average family size in the U.S. remains well below its peak in the 1960s, the number of children per household has been steadily increasing for decades.
In 2019, married-couple households with kids under age 18 had 1.98 kids on average, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
At the same time, the cost of raising children has also been on the rise.
However, fertility rates and cost of living vary significantly between cities and states throughout the country. As these trends extend into the future, large families in high-cost-of-living areas will feel the growing burden of high child-rearing costs more than others.
Researchers at RetailMeNot analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau to find which cities have the largest families.
To find the metropolitan areas with the largest families, researchers at RetailMeNot looked at the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The researchers ranked metro areas according to the average number of kids per family.
Researchers also calculated the proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent, median household income for dual-parent households, median household income for single-parent households, and the cost of living relative to the national average.
Following are the large metropolitan areas with the biggest families.
15. Oklahoma City
- Average number of kids per family: 1.90
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 24.2%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $81,000
- Median household income (single-parent households): $30,374
- Cost of living: 9.3% less than average
14. San Antonio
- Average number of kids per family: 1.90
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 26.7%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $81,400
- Median household income (single-parent households): $30,681
- Cost of living: 6.1% less than average
13. Kansas City, Missouri
- Average number of kids per family: 1.90
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 23.0%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $97,334
- Median household income (single-parent households): $33,872
- Cost of living: 7.1% less than average
12. Dallas
- Average number of kids per family: 1.90
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 22.6%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $93,000
- Median household income (single-parent households): $35,566
- Cost of living: 0.7% greater than average
11. Memphis, Tennessee
- Average number of kids per family: 1.91
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 35.2%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $86,199
- Median household income (single-parent households): $25,404
- Cost of living: 9.8% less than average
10. Las Vegas
- Average number of kids per family: 1.91
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 26.6%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $75,116
- Median household income (single-parent households): $33,516
- Cost of living: 3.2% less than average
9. Cincinnati
- Average number of kids per family: 1.91
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 24.4%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $100,559
- Median household income (single-parent households): $29,326
- Cost of living: 10.0% less than average
8. Houston
- Average number of kids per family: 1.91
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 22.4%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $90,388
- Median household income (single-parent households): $31,739
- Cost of living: 1.8% greater than average
7. Tucson, Arizona
- Average number of kids per family: 1.92
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 27.6%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $74,096
- Median household income (single-parent households): $28,587
- Cost of living: 6.1% less than average
6. Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Average number of kids per family: 1.95
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 21.0%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $90,034
- Median household income (single-parent households): $31,528
- Cost of living: 7.8% less than average
5. Milwaukee
- Average number of kids per family: 1.95
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 28.3%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $103,311
- Median household income (single-parent households): $30,739
- Cost of living: 5.2% less than average
4. Minneapolis
- Average number of kids per family: 1.95
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 18.6%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $115,425
- Median household income (single-parent households): $41,805
- Cost of living: 2.6% greater than average
3. Phoenix
- Average number of kids per family: 1.98
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 22.3%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $83,898
- Median household income (single-parent households): $35,862
- Cost of living: 1.9% less than average
2. Riverside, California
- Average number of kids per family: 1.99
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 20.6%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $75,116
- Median household income (single-parent households): $31,861
- Cost of living: 7.0% greater than average
1. Salt Lake City
- Average number of kids per family: 2.16
- Proportion of families with kids headed by a single parent: 16.0%
- Median household income (dual-parent households): $89,026
- Median household income (single-parent households): $40,000
- Cost of living: 1.3% less than average
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