An uncomplicated hospital delivery is billed at $15,800 in the U.S. as of October 2026. In 1960 it was billed at $300, or $3,418 in today’s dollars. Adjusted for inflation, having a baby costs 4.6 times as much today as in 1960.
Price at the time In October 2026 dollars
U.S. uncomplicated delivery, billed charges. ≈ marks estimates between data points.
| Year | Price | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | $300 | $3,418 |
| 1961 | ≈$324 | ≈$3,656 |
| 1962 | ≈$350 | ≈$3,911 |
| 1963 | ≈$378 | ≈$4,170 |
| 1964 | ≈$409 | ≈$4,447 |
| 1965 | ≈$442 | ≈$4,728 |
| 1966 | ≈$477 | ≈$4,951 |
| 1967 | ≈$515 | ≈$5,205 |
| 1968 | ≈$557 | ≈$5,397 |
| 1969 | ≈$602 | ≈$5,529 |
| 1970 | $650 | $5,650 |
| 1971 | ≈$707 | ≈$5,885 |
| 1972 | ≈$768 | ≈$6,199 |
| 1973 | ≈$835 | ≈$6,345 |
| 1974 | ≈$908 | ≈$6,213 |
| 1975 | ≈$987 | ≈$6,190 |
| 1976 | ≈$1,074 | ≈$6,363 |
| 1977 | ≈$1,167 | ≈$6,496 |
| 1978 | ≈$1,269 | ≈$6,564 |
| 1979 | ≈$1,380 | ≈$6,409 |
| 1980 | $1,500 | $6,139 |
| 1981 | ≈$1,655 | ≈$6,139 |
| 1982 | ≈$1,825 | ≈$6,379 |
| 1983 | ≈$2,013 | ≈$6,817 |
| 1984 | ≈$2,221 | ≈$7,208 |
| 1985 | ≈$2,449 | ≈$7,678 |
| 1986 | ≈$2,702 | ≈$8,314 |
| 1987 | ≈$2,980 | ≈$8,848 |
| 1988 | ≈$3,288 | ≈$9,372 |
| 1989 | ≈$3,626 | ≈$9,863 |
| 1990 | $4,000 | $10,322 |
| 1991 | ≈$4,199 | ≈$10,398 |
| 1992 | ≈$4,408 | ≈$10,596 |
| 1993 | ≈$4,627 | ≈$10,800 |
| 1994 | ≈$4,857 | ≈$11,054 |
| 1995 | ≈$5,099 | ≈$11,284 |
| 1996 | ≈$5,353 | ≈$11,513 |
| 1997 | ≈$5,619 | ≈$11,807 |
| 1998 | ≈$5,899 | ≈$12,205 |
| 1999 | ≈$6,192 | ≈$12,535 |
| 2000 | $6,500 | $12,731 |
| 2001 | ≈$6,786 | ≈$12,923 |
| 2002 | ≈$7,085 | ≈$13,282 |
| 2003 | ≈$7,397 | ≈$13,558 |
| 2004 | ≈$7,722 | ≈$13,787 |
| 2005 | ≈$8,062 | ≈$13,923 |
| 2006 | ≈$8,417 | ≈$14,081 |
| 2007 | ≈$8,788 | ≈$14,297 |
| 2008 | ≈$9,175 | ≈$14,372 |
| 2009 | ≈$9,578 | ≈$15,060 |
| 2010 | $10,000 | $15,464 |
| 2011 | ≈$10,283 | ≈$15,421 |
| 2012 | ≈$10,575 | ≈$15,534 |
| 2013 | ≈$10,875 | ≈$15,741 |
| 2014 | ≈$11,183 | ≈$15,934 |
| 2015 | $11,500 | $16,365 |
| 2016 | ≈$11,858 | ≈$16,663 |
| 2017 | ≈$12,227 | ≈$16,825 |
| 2018 | ≈$12,608 | ≈$16,934 |
| 2019 | $13,000 | $17,147 |
| 2020 | $13,500 | $17,609 |
| 2021 | ≈$13,846 | ≈$17,139 |
| 2022 | $14,200 | $16,164 |
| 2023 | $14,600 | $16,121 |
| 2024 | $15,000 | $16,091 |
| 2025 | $15,400 | $16,088 |
| Oct 2026 (latest) | $15,800 | $15,800 |
Among the 2,314 U.S. places with at least 20,000 people, as of October 2026. Scaled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the metro area, or the rural part of the state outside metros.
| Kiryas Joel, NY | $16,853 |
| Poughkeepsie, NY | $16,853 |
| Middletown, NY | $16,853 |
| Newburgh, NY | $16,853 |
| New York, NY | $16,803 |
| North Liberty, IA | $14,947 |
| Altoona, IA | $14,947 |
| Coralville, IA | $14,947 |
| Muscatine, IA | $14,947 |
| Burlington, IA | $14,947 |
Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker for recent costs. Earlier years are estimates.
For cities: Scaled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the metro area, or the rural part of the state outside metros.
Each year shows the U.S. figure at midyear. Years marked ≈ fall between this series’ data points and are estimated by smooth interpolation between them. Today’s dollars use the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). How it works.
Cost of daycare by yearCollege tuition by yearFamily health insurance premiums by yearAverage wedding cost by year
What everything cost in 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020. All prices.