$5K for a baby? More like $500K, some parents say

Washington parents already face steep costs — and new polling suggests cash incentives 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 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 — of the nearly 700 votes cast in a BabyCenter poll.

Zoom in: In Washington state, child care costs more than college tuition, at more than $14,000 a year for center-based toddler care, an increase of 220% since 1990, per a 2023 report.

What they're saying: It would take $500,000 — or even $1 million — to persuade them to have children, some BabyCenter users said.

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