How much does childcare cost? Daycare prices by state

Full-time childcare for one child had a median price of $6,552 to $15,600 a year in 2022, according to the US Department of Labor's National Database of Childcare Prices ^[1]. That works out to 8.9% to 16% of median family income, depending on your child's age and the type of care ^[1]. Infant care at a center costs the most, and in some counties it costs more than rent ^[1].

2022 is the most recent year in the federal database, which covers 2,512 counties ^[1]. Prices have kept climbing since then. The consumer price index for day care and preschool rose 22.5% from August 2022 to August 2026 ^[2]. Treat the numbers on this page as a floor, and look up your own county in our childcare cost lookup.

How much does daycare cost a month?

Divide the national range by 12, and full-time care for one child ran about $546 to $1,300 a month in 2022 ^[1]. Where your family lands depends on three things.

• Your child's age. At centers, infant care cost more than preschool in every state with 2022 data ^[3].
• Center or home. A licensed family childcare home usually charges less than a center ^[3].
• Your county. Prices vary a lot inside a state. The Labor Department warns that childcare markets are highly localized, so a state median is only a rough guide ^[4].

Daycare prices by state

These are 2022 state medians for full-time care, taken across each state's counties. The database reports weekly prices, and we multiplied them by 52 to get annual figures ^[3][4].

Source: US Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, 2022 state-level estimates ^[3].

Center infant care in DC costs about four times what it does in Mississippi. The database has no 2022 state estimates for Arkansas, Indiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Pennsylvania or Vermont ^[3]. For those states, and for a closer read anywhere, use the county lookup.

To update a 2022 price to today, multiply it by 1.225, reflecting the national 22.5% rise in day care and preschool prices from August 2022 to August 2026 ^[2]. A center infant price of $15,600 in 2022 would be roughly $19,100 now. Your county's prices may have risen faster or slower, so call two or three providers near you for current rates before you budget.

Is home daycare cheaper than a daycare center?

Usually, yes. In 2022, the median price of home-based infant care was lower than center-based infant care in 43 of the 44 states with both prices. Michigan was the only exception ^[3]. In Massachusetts, the home-based median for an infant was $11,001 a year lower than the center median ^[3].

Price isn't the only difference, so visit both kinds before you decide. Ask each one about hours, group size, who covers when a caregiver is sick, and how long the waitlist is for an infant spot.

What counts as affordable childcare?

For years, the benchmark was 7% of family income. HHS set it as an optional benchmark in 2016, based on 2011 Census data showing families spent 7% of income on childcare on average ^[5]. A 2024 rule then made it a requirement: states had to cap what families pay toward subsidized care at 7% of income ^[5].

That federal cap is gone. HHS rescinded it in a final rule published May 12, 2026, which took effect July 13, 2026, and said it won't recommend any new benchmark for now ^[5]. States must still charge copays on a sliding fee scale that isn't "a barrier" to getting help ^[5]. As of March 2026, 31 states and DC limited copays to 7% of income or less, and the rule lets them keep doing so ^[5].

Even the low end of the national price range, 8.9% of median family income, is above that old 7% line ^[1].

How can I get help paying for childcare?

Childcare subsidies (CCDF)

The federal Child Care and Development Fund pays part of the cost for eligible families, and you pay a copay based on income. Under federal law, a child qualifies if they're under 13, family income is no more than 85% of the state median income for a family of that size, family assets are under $1 million, and parents are working or in school or job training ^[6]. Apply through your state's child care subsidy office.

Head Start and Early Head Start

These programs are free ^[7]. A child or pregnant woman qualifies if family income is at or below the poverty line, the family is eligible for public assistance, the child is homeless, or the child is in foster care. Early Head Start serves babies and toddlers under age 3 ^[8].

Dependent care FSA

For 2026, you can set aside up to $7,500 a year ($3,750 if married filing separately), up from $5,000 ^[9]. That money is excluded from your taxable income, as long as your employer offers the account ^[9].

The child and dependent care tax credit

Starting with tax year 2026, the top credit rate rises from 35% to 50%. You can still count up to $3,000 of care costs for one child or $6,000 for two or more ^[10]. The rate falls as your income rises ^[11]:

Rates slide gradually between those bands ^[11]. Day care, preschool, before- and after-school care and day camps count for children under 13. Overnight camps and tuition for kindergarten or higher grades don't ^[10][12].

You can't use the same dollars twice. Money you put in a dependent care FSA reduces the $3,000 or $6,000 the credit can count ^[11], so a full $7,500 FSA contribution uses up the credit's limit. To claim the credit, you'll need each provider's name, address and taxpayer ID number ^[12].

Paid leave

Paid family leave can push back the date you need childcare. See which states offer it in our paid family leave guide, or start from your state's having a baby page.

Questions to ask a daycare before you sign

• What's the weekly or monthly price, and what does it include (meals, diapers, formula)?
• Is there a registration fee, deposit or waitlist fee?
• Do I pay during holidays, closures, sick days and our own vacations?
• When does my child move to the toddler rate, and what will that rate be?
• Do you offer sibling discounts or part-time schedules?
• Do you accept state childcare subsidies?
• Will you give me your taxpayer ID number and year-end receipts for my FSA claim and tax credit?
• How much notice do you give before raising prices?