Pennsylvania parents already face high costs — and new polling suggests cash incentives alone aren't enough to change minds about having kids.
Why it matters: The Trump administration has floated a $5,000 "baby bonus" to boost births, but just 4% of undecided adults nationwide say that would sway them, per a new BabyCenter poll shared with Axios.
By the numbers: 9% of respondents said it would take at least $10,000 to convince them to have kids, and 30% said it would take more than $25,000.
Zoom in: Pennsylvania is 25th in the U.S. for child-rearing costs, per a recent report, with parents spending $23,270 annually — nearly $419,000 over 18 years — on essentials like housing, food, clothing and child care.
Child care costs more than $11,000 a year for center-based toddler care in the Keystone State, an increase of 220% since 1990, per a 2023 report.
Infant care in Pennsylvania averages $1,113 a month; care for a 4-year-old averages $983 a month, per the Economic Policy Institute.
What they're saying: Paid parental leave and cheaper child care would do more than cash to convince parents to have babies, several BabyCenter users said.
Some who dismissed $25,000 as too low suggested it would take $500,000 — or even $1 million — to persuade them to have kids.
