Birth Costs Soar, With NY and NJ Among Most Expensive States
New data reveals that the median cost for giving birth in New York and New Jersey is among the highest in the nation, with vaginal deliveries averaging $23,000 and C-sections reaching $27,000.
The cost of childbirth in the United States continues to rise, with New York and New Jersey ranking among the most expensive states for the procedure, according to data from the nonprofit FAIR Health.
In both New York and New Jersey, the median cost for an in-network vaginal delivery is $23,000. For a C-section, the median cost is $27,000. These figures are higher than the national averages.
California hospitals have a median cost of $21,000 for a vaginal birth and $25,000 for a cesarean delivery. The most expensive state overall for childbirth is Alaska, where vaginal births cost a median of $31,000 and C-sections are $42,000.
Nationally, the average cost for a vaginal delivery is approximately $15,700, and around $20,000 for a C-section. FAIR Health reported that costs nationwide have increased by about 3.6% from the previous year. Since 2022, the cost for vaginal births has risen 21%, and for C-sections, it has increased by 28%.
These reported costs encompass a range of services, including consultations, anesthesia, laboratory tests, ultrasounds, and other facility and professional fees. They represent the billed prices rather than the typical out-of-pocket expenses for insured families.
Out-of-network deliveries are substantially more costly. Nationally, the median cost for an out-of-network C-section is $43,000, with Nevada reporting a median of $79,000 for the same procedure.
For individuals with employer-sponsored insurance plans, the average out-of-pocket expenses for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care are approximately $2,700, according to the health research organization KFF.
Regions in the South and Midwest tend to have lower childbirth costs. For instance, the Dakotas have the lowest out-of-network costs, with vaginal births costing just under $21,000 each. Alabama and Mississippi offer the lowest in-network costs, with prices slightly over $10,000.
This trend of increasing birth costs occurs as the United States experiences declining birth rates, with fertility rates already below the level needed to maintain the population.