Editorial TeamThe demand for child care is constantly rising. Even before COVID-19 started, affordable child care wasn’t the easiest service to find. Now that we’re in mid pandemic, all schools are closed and most daycare centers are closed or in the process of reopening. See the average daycare costs by state.
According to the Center For American Progress, “COVID-19 could lead to permanent costs of nearly 4.6 million child care slots.” Due to the practice of social distancing, most places have reduced the number of children they can take in. So how much does child care cost?
It depends on where you live- child care in Washington, D.C., is the most expensive in the U.S. costs $22,631. Following D.C., the most expensive states (in descending order) include Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and Maryland. Mississippi has the most affordable child care cost.
When childcare programs are needed more than ever so that parents like you can focus comfortably on going to or back to work, we have formed a list of average daycare costs by state, ranked from least to most expensive.
Looking for more help with Daycare? Try these tips:
How Working Moms Can Find Weekend and 24-Hour Childcare
How Working and Stay-at-home Moms Handle Childcare
When Losing Childcare Leads to Losing Employment
Can Mommy Go To Work? (children’s book)
Here’s how much child care costs annually in every state:
- Mississippi: $5,436
- Missouri: $5,436
- Alabama $6,001
- Kentucky: $6,411
- South Dakota $6,511
- Arkansas: $6,890
- South Carolina: $7,007
- Idaho: $7,474
- Louisiana: $7,724
- Georgia: $8,530
- Oklahoma: $8,576
- New Mexico: $8,617
- Tennessee: $8,732
- West Virginia: $8,736
- North Dakota: $9,091
- Florida: $9,238
- Texas: $9,324
- Maine: $9,449
- North Carolina: $9,480
- Montana: $9,518
- Ohio: $9,697
- Utah: $9,945
- Iowa: $10,378
- Wyoming: $10,647
- Michigan: $10,861
- Arizona: $10,948
- Delaware: $11,021
- Kansas: $11,222
- Nevada: $11,408
- Pennsylvania: $11,842
- Alaska: $12,120
- Wisconsin: $12,567
- Nebraska: $12,571
- Indiana: $12,612
- New Hampshire: $12,791
- Vermont: $12,812
- New Jersey: $12,988
- Oregon: $13,616
- Rhode Island: $13,696
- Hawaii: $13,731
- Illinois: $13,802
- Virginia: $14,063
- Colorado: $15,325
- Maryland: $15,335
- New York: $15,394
- Connecticut: $15,501
- Minnesota: $16,087
- California: $16,945
- Massachusetts: $20,913
- Washington, D.C $24,243
Child care subsidy options:
If you need more help with the average daycare cost in your state, the Office of Children and Family Services provides assistance with child care costs to families through the Child Care Subsidy Program. Subsidized child care consists of state and federal government programs available to assist families financially with child care. You are eligible for financial assistance if you meet the low-income guidelines for your state.
If you are in need of assistance, find out if you’re eligible today, contact your local Department of Social Services, or check out the latest update to Child Care Subsidy and Payment Changes in Response to COVID-19. (last update was 9/17/2021)