What it Takes for One Parent to Afford to Stay Home in Texas

(Longview, Texas) - I'm going to be Captain Obvious for a moment, everything costs too much. Electronics, groceries, booking a vacation, it's all too much right now. Will it come down at some point? Most likely not.

Even if a family has two incomes coming in, it's difficult to make ends meet. If that family has one or two kids, it's rough financially. It's rare nowadays but there are some families that are able to survive with just a single income. If that's the choice for your family, here's what it would take to be able to do it in Texas.

What it Takes to Afford Being a Stay-at-Home Parent

Ask any family in East Texas right now if they are struggling to keep up and I bet 98% would say it's difficult to near impossible. Most families in East Texas need both parents working just to get by. Income doesn't go up but everything else does. That's not good.

There are a select few families that are able to make it on, believe it or not, one income. I know, sounds unfathomable, but it does exist. With the struggle we all have with this, how much income would that take for a single income family to survive?

The Income Needed for a Single Income Family in Texas

In 2025, in Texas, it takes, at minimum, $22,672 per year to raise one child (smartasset.com). Some people don't make that much at their job in a single year. Luckily, in Texas, that number only went up 2.15% from 2024.

For 2025, it takes, at minimum, $74,734 for one parent to stay home (smartasset.com). If both parents work, it takes, at minimum, $84,238. You subtract that $22,672 per year to raise one child and that doesn't leave much to take care of the mortgage, car payments, groceries and other bills. Add on extra curricular activities like sports or vacations, money is tight.