Daycare in Vermont
What daycare costs in each Vermont county, how to get help paying, and how to check a license.
Short answer
Help paying in Vermont
Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP), run by Vermont Department for Children and Families, Child Development Division
$153,240a year or less for a family of three to start (575% of the federal poverty level), as of March 2025. You also need to work, study or train.
The highest copay reported for a family of three is 12.5% of income (January 2025).
How to applySources: Vermont Department for Children and Families, Child Development Division; National Women's Law Center
What does daycare cost in each Vermont county?
Weekly full-time prices in 2021. Center infant care runs from $258 in Caledonia County to $362 in Chittenden County. Prices aren't adjusted for inflation, so today's rates are likely higher.
| County | Infant | Toddler | Preschool | Infant, home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addison County | $352 | $341 | $306 | $207 |
| Bennington County | $286 | $277 | $299 | $186 |
| Caledonia County | $258 | $248 | $248 | $191 |
| Chittenden County | $362 | $349 | $358 | $204 |
| Essex County | $306 | $292 | $296 | $194 |
| Franklin County | $281 | $271 | $271 | $221 |
| Grand Isle County | $346 | $331 | $334 | $231 |
| Lamoille County | $314 | $293 | $293 | $216 |
| Orange County | $319 | $301 | $321 | $208 |
| Orleans County | $258 | $248 | $310 | $181 |
| Rutland County | $327 | $316 | $286 | $192 |
| Washington County | $296 | $280 | $305 | $211 |
| Windham County | $300 | $293 | $273 | $167 |
| Windsor County | $313 | $295 | $327 | $202 |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices. Data as of 2021 prices.
Look up your county to see a year's cost for each age, or read how much childcare costs for nannies and other options.
Help paying for daycare in Vermont
Three ways to bring the bill down. You can use more than one.
1. Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP)
The state's child care subsidy, run by Vermont Department for Children and Families, Child Development Division. A family of three qualifies at up to $153,240 a year to start. You pay a copay and the state pays the rest to the provider you pick. In Vermont, a provider whose price is above the state's payment can charge you the difference, so ask first.
2. Head Start and Early Head Start
Free for families at or below the poverty line, or on TANF or SSI. 60 centers in Vermont; 29 take babies and toddlers.
3. Tax breaks
For 2026, a dependent care FSA through your employer can shelter up to $7,500 of child care costs from tax, and the Child and Dependent Care Credit pays up to 50% of up to $3,000 in expenses for one child or $6,000 for two or more. The same dollars can't count for both.
How to check a daycare's license in Vermont
Every licensed program has a state record with its license, the ages and number of children it's licensed for, and its inspection history. Look a program up before you tour it, and again before you sign.
- Find and check child care in Vermont on Childcare.gov, with links to the state's search, licensing rules and inspection reports.
Daycare in Vermont: common questions
How much does daycare cost in Vermont?
Full-time infant care at a Vermont child care center has a median price of $313 a week, about $16,282 a year; at a family child care home it's $204 a week. These are 2021 prices from the U.S. Department of Labor's National Database of Childcare Prices, not adjusted for inflation, so expect to pay more today. Prices for toddlers and preschoolers are lower, and they vary by county.
How do I get help paying for daycare in Vermont?
Apply to Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP), run by Vermont Department for Children and Families, Child Development Division. A family of three can earn up to $153,240 a year to start (as of March 2025). Parents generally need to be working, in school or in job training. You pay a copay based on income, and the state pays the rest to the provider you choose.
Is there free daycare in Vermont?
Head Start and Early Head Start are free for families who qualify. The Office of Head Start lists 60 centers in Vermont; 29 serve babies and toddlers (Early Head Start) and 39 offer preschool for ages 3 to 5. You qualify with income at or below the federal poverty line, or at any income if you get TANF or SSI, your child is in foster care, or your family is homeless.
How do I check that a daycare is licensed in Vermont?
Look the program up in Vermont's child care search before you visit. Childcare.gov's Vermont page links to the state's search, its licensing rules and its inspection reports.
What's the difference between a daycare center and a family child care home?
A center runs in a commercial or school building with several classrooms and staff. A family child care home is licensed care in the provider's own home, usually for a smaller group of mixed ages, and in Vermont it costs a median $204 a week for an infant against $313 at a center. Both are licensed and inspected by the state.
Are there tax breaks for daycare?
For 2026, a dependent care FSA through your employer can shelter up to $7,500 of child care costs from tax, and the Child and Dependent Care Credit pays up to 50% of up to $3,000 in expenses for one child or $6,000 for two or more. The same dollars can't count for both.
Daycare in nearby states
Other benefits in Vermont
Having a baby in Vermont Benefits, each with its source, checked October 2026 Pregnancy Medicaid Up to 213% FPL WIC Yes Paid family leave Voluntary Medicaid pays for a doula Pending See VermontGear for daycare days
Sources
- 1.National Database of Childcare Prices: 2008-2022 (Data File) U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- 2.National Database of Childcare Prices Technical Report (September 2024) U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- 3.National Database of Childcare Prices: State-Level Estimates and Affordability Rankings 2022 U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- 4.National Database of Childcare Prices U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- 5.Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP) Vermont Department for Children and Families, Child Development Division. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- 6.Vermont: Financial Assistance Resources for Families (last reviewed 2026-09-18) Childcare.gov (Administration for Children and Families). Accessed October 9, 2026.
- 7.Warning Signs: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2025 National Women's Law Center. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- 8.CCDF Family Co-Payments by State (January 2025) Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Care. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- 9.42 U.S. Code 9858n, Definitions (Child Care and Development Block Grant Act) Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (U.S. Code). Accessed October 9, 2026.
- 10.Understanding and finding child care in Vermont Childcare.gov (Administration for Children and Families). Accessed October 16, 2026.