a day ago
Survey: Chicago back-to-school spending tops $740 per child
Shopping for school supplies will cost you more in Chicago, according to a new report.
Why it matters: Back-to-school is the second-biggest retail event of the year, after the holidays.
The latest: The annual Deloitte Back-to-School Survey estimates that Chicago parents will spend up to 30% more than the national average on school supplies.
What they're saying:"Chicago parents are expected to spend $740 per child this back-to-school season," Deloitte Consulting's Matt Adams tells Axios. The national average is $570.
"Chicago families are also spending more than the national average on packed lunches, extracurriculars and first-day outfits."
Reality check: Chicago has outpaced national estimates before. In 2024, the report said Chicago parents would spend $747 per child, while the national average was $586.
The intrigue: The biggest category for spending is clothing.
70% of local Chicago parents surveyed say their children's preferences generally influence them to spend more, including splurging on a first-day-of-school outfit.
Zoom in: In addition to spending on back-to-school, 97% of Chicago parents surveyed plan to enroll their children in extracurricular activities, versus 90% nationally.
Parents expect to spend $629 on fees and equipment, which is also above the national average ($532).
Zoom out: 56% of the Chicago parents surveyed are concerned about higher prices and 71% of households report being in a similar or worse financial situation than last year.
51% expect the economy to weaken in the next six months (versus 37% in 2024).
State of play: Prices for stationery and other supplies have risen 30% nationally over the past five years.
New U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports — including backpacks, pens, binders and shoes — kicked in earlier this year, rose sharply, then came back down to levels still historically high.
Yes, but: The full impact of tariffs hasn't hit store shelves yet — and back-to-school season may be the first test of how much price pressure shoppers will tolerate, according to a Wells Fargo Investment Institute report released last month.
