Child care is one of the biggest bills a young family pays, and the price depends on where you live, your child's age and the kind of care. This page puts the U.S. Department of Labor's official child care price data in one place. Pick your state and county, enter your children, and see the yearly cost, the share of your income it takes and the federal tax breaks that may help.
Where the prices come from
The Department of Labor's Women's Bureau publishes the National Database of Childcare Prices, the most complete federal source of child care prices by county. It collects what states reported in their market rate surveys: the median full-time weekly price in child care centers and in home-based care, for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children. The release used here is NDCP 2008–2022, with 2,855 county records in 48 states and the District of Columbia. Price year 2022 is the latest.
- Prices are not adjusted for inflation. Each price is in the dollars of its own year, so compare states in the same year and expect today's prices to be higher.
- Many numbers are estimates. States survey providers only every few years, so the database fills in the years between and after with a straight-line trend. That is true of 33 of the 49 states and D.C. in the latest year; the table marks them "est.".
- Some places are missing. Arkansas and Vermont (2021) and Missouri and Pennsylvania (2020) have no data for 2022, so the page shows their latest earlier year. Indiana, New Mexico and Puerto Rico have no usable prices.
What child care costs
For a year (52 weeks) of full-time care in a center, state medians range from $6,171 in Mississippi to $25,480 in the District of Columbia for an infant and from $5,617 in Mississippi to $20,410 in the District of Columbia for a preschooler. Home-based care is usually cheaper than a center. Many states report school-age prices for before- and after-school care only, so read those with care. State medians are the Department of Labor's own estimates, not averages of the county figures.
Measured against income, the share of the state's median family income that a year of center-based infant care takes runs from 8.7% in South Dakota to 20.0% in Massachusetts. It is above 7% in 49 of 49 places.
The 7% yardstick
The page compares your cost with 7% of your income, the best-known yardstick for child care affordability. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services set 7% of family income as its benchmark for affordable co-payments in 2016, and its 2024 Child Care and Development Fund rule required states to cap what subsidized families pay at 7%. A final rule published May 12, 2026 and effective July 13, 2026 removed that requirement, so states now set their own rules. Either way, 7% is not a law about what providers charge.
Tax help in 2026
- The Child and Dependent Care Credit is 50% of your costs at lower incomes in 2026, falling step by step to 20% (the 20% rate applies above $103,000 of adjusted gross income, or $206,000 on a joint return). It counts up to $3,000 of costs for one child under 13, or $6,000 for two or more, and it cannot be more than your income tax.
- A Dependent Care FSA, if your employer offers one, lets you pay for care with up to $7,500 of pre-tax money in 2026 ($3,750 if married filing separately).
You cannot use the same dollars for both. FSA money is taken out of the costs the credit can count and lowers its $3,000 or $6,000 limit. Made-up example: a couple filing jointly with two children, $60,000 of income and $12,000 of care costs. The credit is 35% of $6,000, or $2,100. If they also put $5,000 in an FSA, only $1,000 is left under the limit, so the credit drops to $350 and the FSA saves tax on $5,000 instead. The credit rates come from the IRS 2026 Form 2441 instructions, still marked as a draft on October 14, 2026, so read IRS Publication 503 or ask a tax professional before you file. For help finding or paying for care, start at ChildCare.gov.
Data and limits
Prices come from the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau, National Database of Childcare Prices (prepared by ICF; technical report of September 2024). Federal government material is generally in the public domain; CentDaily calculated the yearly figures and shares, and the Department of Labor does not endorse this site. The figures are medians from state surveys, not the price of one provider.
Frequently asked questions
How much does child care cost per year?
It depends on the state, the child's age and the type of care. The state median for a year of full-time infant care in a center is several times higher in the most expensive places than in the cheapest, and the range inside a state can be wide too. Home-based care and older children usually cost less. Pick your state and county above for exact prices.
Is child care affordable if it costs 7% of income?
7% is a yardstick, not a law about provider prices, and a 2026 final rule made HHS's co-payment cap optional for states. If your cost is above 7% you are not alone: in most states, a year of center-based infant care costs more than 7% of the median family income.
Can I use a Dependent Care FSA and the Child and Dependent Care Credit together?
Yes, but not for the same dollars. Money paid through the FSA does not count for the credit, and it lowers the $3,000 (one child) or $6,000 (two or more) limit. Which saves more depends on your tax bracket.
General information only, not financial, tax or legal advice. CentDaily is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services or the IRS. Figures and rules are as of October 14, 2026 and may change.