Spoil the Kids, Live Here

From Bundle by Kristin Vukovic:

With child spending already breaking the bank for many, we wanted to find out which cities spoil their kids the most. To do so, we examined spending by households with children at stores that sell toys, clothing and other services for tots, kids, and teens. We identified all locations for which Bundle.com had a reasonable sample size, and determined the average spend by these households over the past three years. Then we ranked cities based on the percentage spend above or below the U.S. average.

Given that Beyonce and Jay-Z purchased a pricey $3,500 crib and a $5,200 pink crystal-studded baby diamond bathtub for their baby Blue Ivy Carter’s 2,200 square foot New York City nursery, it should come as no surprise that New York, New York tops our list of cities that spoil their kids the most. Parents in Manhattan spend neary double the U.S. average—which means that a million dollar baby is nothing out of the ordinary.

Coming in at #2 is another New York City borough: Brooklyn, home to Park Slope, where Bugaboos are standard fare. The newest Brooklyn baby fad? Cutting edge mommies and daddies are ordering “babyccinos” for their little ones, some as young as two years old. Guess they want to get their kids used to the caffeinated NYC lifestyle early.

It’s no surprise that trendy Miami, Florida ranked #3, but #4 was somewhat of a surprise. Minnesota residents are known for their prudent spending, so it came as a shock to this Twin Cities native that parents in Minneapolis spend nearly 50 percent more on their kids than the national average. They must be buying $500 Burberry jackets so that their kids can weather the cold in style.

• Toy stores near you where you dont have to spend a bundle

Representing the U.S. national average is Nashville, where child spending is even-keeled. Frugal Midwestern cities ranked at the bottom of our list, including Columbus, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Saint Paul, and Maidson. Interestingly, the cities that comprise the Twin Cities are polar opposites: Minneapolis spends 50% more on their kids than the national average, while Saint Paul spends over 50% less. Fraternal twins?