Childcare costs vary dramatically across the United States. The national average is $9,166/year. Compare costs, affordability, and provider availability for all 51 states.
51
States + DC
$13,032
Avg Infant (Center)
$10,153
Avg Preschool (Center)
12.3%
Avg % of Income
| Rank | State | Avg Annual | Infant (Center) | % Income | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | District of Columbia(DC) | $18,017 | $24,252 | 17.7% | 760 |
| #2 | Massachusetts(MA) | $14,946 | $21,648 | 15.5% | 7,800 |
| #3 | California(CA) | $13,016 | $19,836 | 14.2% | 20,700 |
| #4 | New York(NY) | $12,990 | $18,600 | 17.1% | 13,400 |
| #5 | Washington(WA) | $12,510 | $18,000 | 13.8% | 7,000 |
| #6 | Colorado(CO) | $12,045 | $17,640 | 13.8% | 6,700 |
| #7 | Connecticut(CT) | $11,985 | $17,160 | 13.3% | 4,400 |
| #8 | Maryland(MD) | $11,985 | $17,400 | 12.6% | 6,200 |
| #9 | Minnesota(MN) | $11,715 | $17,040 | 13.9% | 7,000 |
| #10 | New Jersey(NJ) | $11,550 | $16,560 | 11.9% | 6,200 |
| #11 | Virginia(VA) | $11,040 | $15,960 | 12.7% | 6,400 |
| #12 | Illinois(IL) | $10,890 | $16,080 | 13.9% | 8,800 |
| #13 | Hawaii(HI) | $10,815 | $15,360 | 11.4% | 1,200 |
| #14 | Oregon(OR) | $10,785 | $15,480 | 14.1% | 3,800 |
| #15 | New Hampshire(NH) | $10,710 | $15,120 | 11.8% | 1,460 |
| #16 | Rhode Island(RI) | $10,260 | $14,640 | 13.9% | 800 |
| #17 | Vermont(VT) | $10,035 | $14,040 | 13.6% | 800 |
| #18 | Pennsylvania(PA) | $9,600 | $13,800 | 13.1% | 9,000 |
| #19 | Alaska(AK) | $9,525 | $12,600 | 11.2% | 1,000 |
| #20 | Wisconsin(WI) | $9,450 | $13,440 | 13.0% | 6,200 |
| #21 | Maine(ME) | $9,405 | $13,200 | 13.8% | 1,880 |
| #22 | Delaware(DE) | $8,955 | $12,720 | 11.3% | 1,140 |
| #23 | Nebraska(NE) | $8,955 | $12,720 | 12.5% | 3,000 |
| #24 | Indiana(IN) | $8,730 | $12,480 | 13.0% | 5,600 |
| #25 | Nevada(NV) | $8,685 | $12,360 | 12.5% | 1,360 |
| #26 | Arizona(AZ) | $8,658 | $12,216 | 11.9% | 4,600 |
| #27 | Michigan(MI) | $8,385 | $12,000 | 12.5% | 7,300 |
| #28 | North Dakota(ND) | $8,348 | $11,520 | 11.3% | 1,060 |
| #29 | Iowa(IA) | $8,340 | $11,760 | 11.5% | 4,400 |
| #30 | Kansas(KS) | $8,130 | $11,400 | 11.7% | 3,400 |
| #31 | Ohio(OH) | $7,965 | $11,400 | 12.7% | 8,600 |
| #32 | North Carolina(NC) | $7,860 | $11,280 | 11.9% | 7,000 |
| #33 | Utah(UT) | $7,860 | $11,160 | 9.9% | 2,200 |
| #34 | Wyoming(WY) | $7,845 | $10,920 | 11.2% | 600 |
| #35 | Florida(FL) | $7,755 | $11,160 | 11.4% | 11,600 |
| #36 | Missouri(MO) | $7,755 | $11,040 | 11.8% | 5,200 |
| #37 | Texas(TX) | $7,635 | $11,040 | 10.5% | 15,200 |
| #38 | Montana(MT) | $7,613 | $10,560 | 11.5% | 1,120 |
| #39 | Tennessee(TN) | $7,350 | $10,440 | 11.6% | 4,400 |
| #40 | Georgia(GA) | $7,215 | $10,200 | 10.1% | 6,900 |
| #41 | Idaho(ID) | $7,185 | $9,960 | 10.7% | 1,880 |
| #42 | New Mexico(NM) | $7,125 | $10,080 | 12.1% | 1,600 |
| #43 | South Dakota(SD) | $6,848 | $9,480 | 10.4% | 1,060 |
| #44 | Oklahoma(OK) | $6,585 | $9,360 | 11.1% | 3,600 |
| #45 | Kentucky(KY) | $6,570 | $9,240 | 10.9% | 3,600 |
| #46 | South Carolina(SC) | $6,390 | $9,120 | 10.0% | 3,400 |
| #47 | Louisiana(LA) | $6,323 | $8,880 | 10.9% | 3,600 |
| #48 | West Virginia(WV) | $6,113 | $8,640 | 11.8% | 1,220 |
| #49 | Alabama(AL) | $6,108 | $8,460 | 10.2% | 4,030 |
| #50 | Arkansas(AR) | $5,783 | $7,980 | 10.3% | 3,100 |
| #51 | Mississippi(MS) | $5,123 | $7,200 | 10.5% | 2,200 |
Childcare costs vary by state due to differences in cost of living, licensing requirements, staff-to-child ratios, and market competition. States with higher costs of living and stricter regulations tend to have more expensive childcare. All data is sourced from Child Care Aware of America (2024).