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Tooth fairy tightens purse strings as payouts drop for second year

By Austin Williams
Published  February 28, 2025 7:09pm EST
Money
FOX TV Digital Team

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The Brief

    • The average Tooth Fairy payout fell from $5.84 to $5.01, marking a 14% decline.
    • First-tooth payouts also dropped 12%, down from $7.09 to $6.24.
    • Despite the decrease, the Tooth Fairy’s payouts have increased 285% since 1998.

Even the Tooth Fairy is watching her budget.

Tooth Fairy payments take a dip for second straight year

The backstory:

According to the 2025 Delta Dental Original Tooth Fairy Poll®, the average payout for a lost tooth fell 14% over the past year, dropping from $5.84 to $5.01. This marks one of the biggest declines in the poll’s history.

The first tooth milestone also saw a cutback, with the payout dropping 12% from $7.09 to $6.24.

Despite the declining payouts, the Tooth Fairy still plays a role in teaching financial lessons, with 19% of parents saying the tradition helps their children understand the value of money.

How much is a tooth worth across the US?

By the numbers:

Not all regions saw the same drop in payouts. Tooth values vary by region, with the South taking the top spot this year:

  • South: $5.71 (the only region to see an increase, up from $5.51 last year).
  • West: $5.69 (fell 33%, returning to 2021 levels).
  • Northeast: $4.59 (fell below $5.00 for the first time since 2020).
  • Midwest: $3.46 (remains below the national average for the second year in a row).

Tooth Fairy payments no longer track the economy

Historically, the Original Tooth Fairy Poll has followed the S&P 500’s performance, but in 2023 that trend changed.

Over the past year, while the average payout for a lost tooth fell 14%, the S&P 500 surged 26%. This divergence marks a shift from previous years when the Tooth Fairy’s generosity mirrored market trends.

The Source: This report is based on Delta Dental’s 2025 Original Tooth Fairy Poll, which surveyed 1,000 parents of children ages 6 to 12 between Jan. 10 and Jan. 23, 2025. The S&P 500 trends referenced are based on January 2024 (4,746) and January 2025 (5,960) averages.

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