Baby Or Puppy? Here’s The Cost Of Raising Each In New Jersey

NEW JERSEY — Raising an infant isn’t cheap in New Jersey. But neither is a fur baby, a recent study says.

In the Garden State, it’ll cost you $8,393 to adopt and raise a dog through its first year of life, including adoption fees, vet bills and food, according to researchers at Honest Paws, which ranked every state across the nation (see the list and methodology here).

Other factors that influence the cost of a puppy include: spaying/neutering, licensing, “startup supplies,” waste bags, toys/treats, dog insurance, hiring a dog walker, pet fees/deposits for home renters and microchipping.

The top three most expensive states to raise a puppy are Connecticut ($8,854), California ($8,845) and New York ($8,572). The cheapest state? Kentucky, where it costs just $6,698 to raise a puppy for the first year.

BABY COSTS

Meanwhile, having a human baby in New Jersey via vaginal birth will run you nearly three times as much as a puppy that first year, researchers said. The cost of necessities such as health care, diapers, food, clothes, baby gear and child care add up to $24,476 – and that’s assuming you have insurance.

The top three most expensive states to raise a baby are Massachusetts ($33,495), California ($29,541) and New York ($28,697). The cheapest state to raise a child for the first year is Alabama, where it costs an average of $16,072.

Send news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

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