What Daycare Actually Costs in 100 US Cities
These aren't estimates from a flyer. They're what parents are actually paying — month after month. Some cities will surprise you. Others will confirm what you already suspected.
2026 data · Infant center-based care · Sources: ACF Child Care Market Rate Survey, Child Care Aware of America
$2,350
San Francisco/month
Highest in the nation
$1,230
National average
Up 17% since 2024
$800
Oklahoma City/month
Among the most affordable
100 Cities Ranked by Infant Daycare Cost
Sorted highest to lowest · Full-time center-based infant care (0–12 months)
1
Sunnyvale, CA
$31,320/year
$2,610/mo
▲ 112% avg
2
Bellevue, WA
$30,240/year
$2,520/mo
▲ 105% avg
3
Fremont, CA
$29,760/year
$2,480/mo
▲ 102% avg
4
Irvine, CA
$29,760/year
$2,480/mo
▲ 102% avg
5
Yonkers, NY
$29,640/year
$2,470/mo
▲ 101% avg
6
Daly City, CA
$29,160/year
$2,430/mo
▲ 98% avg
7
Lowell, MA
$28,560/year
$2,380/mo
▲ 93% avg
8
San Francisco, CA
$28,200/year
$2,350/mo
▲ 91% avg
9
Hayward, CA
$28,080/year
$2,340/mo
▲ 90% avg
10
Huntington Beach, CA
$28,080/year
$2,340/mo
▲ 90% avg
11
Worcester, MA
$27,720/year
$2,310/mo
▲ 88% avg
12
Carlsbad, CA
$27,000/year
$2,250/mo
▲ 83% avg
13
New York City, NY
$26,400/year
$2,200/mo
▲ 79% avg
14
Chula Vista, CA
$25,920/year
$2,160/mo
▲ 76% avg
15
Concord, CA
$25,920/year
$2,160/mo
▲ 76% avg
16
Santa Clarita, CA
$25,920/year
$2,160/mo
▲ 76% avg
17
Washington, DC
$25,800/year
$2,150/mo
▲ 75% avg
18
Boston, MA
$25,200/year
$2,100/mo
▲ 71% avg
19
Oxnard, CA
$24,840/year
$2,070/mo
▲ 68% avg
20
Glendale, CA
$24,840/year
$2,070/mo
▲ 68% avg
21
Simi Valley, CA
$24,840/year
$2,070/mo
▲ 68% avg
22
Westminster, CA
$24,840/year
$2,070/mo
▲ 68% avg
23
San Jose, CA
$24,600/year
$2,050/mo
▲ 67% avg
24
Roseville, CA
$24,240/year
$2,020/mo
▲ 64% avg
25
Boulder, CO
$24,000/year
$2,000/mo
▲ 63% avg
26
Riverside, CA
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
27
Salinas, CA
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
28
Elk Grove, CA
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
29
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
30
Seattle, WA
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
31
Vista, CA
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
32
West Covina, CA
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
33
Bridgeport, CT
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
34
Temecula, CA
$23,280/year
$1,940/mo
▲ 58% avg
35
Ontario, CA
$22,680/year
$1,890/mo
▲ 54% avg
36
New Haven, CT
$22,680/year
$1,890/mo
▲ 54% avg
37
Moreno Valley, CA
$22,680/year
$1,890/mo
▲ 54% avg
38
Fontana, CA
$22,680/year
$1,890/mo
▲ 54% avg
39
Pomona, CA
$22,680/year
$1,890/mo
▲ 54% avg
40
Los Angeles, CA
$22,680/year
$1,890/mo
▲ 54% avg
41
Paterson, NJ
$22,440/year
$1,870/mo
▲ 52% avg
42
Stockton, CA
$21,600/year
$1,800/mo
▲ 46% avg
43
Palmdale, CA
$21,600/year
$1,800/mo
▲ 46% avg
44
Modesto, CA
$21,600/year
$1,800/mo
▲ 46% avg
45
San Bernardino, CA
$21,600/year
$1,800/mo
▲ 46% avg
46
Centennial, CO
$21,480/year
$1,790/mo
▲ 46% avg
47
Lakewood, CO
$21,480/year
$1,790/mo
▲ 46% avg
48
Jersey City, NJ
$21,360/year
$1,780/mo
▲ 45% avg
49
Longmont, CO
$21,120/year
$1,760/mo
▲ 43% avg
50
Waterbury, CT
$21,120/year
$1,760/mo
▲ 43% avg
51
Westminster, CO
$21,120/year
$1,760/mo
▲ 43% avg
52
Thornton, CO
$21,120/year
$1,760/mo
▲ 43% avg
53
Long Beach, CA
$21,000/year
$1,750/mo
▲ 42% avg
54
Honolulu, HI
$21,000/year
$1,750/mo
▲ 42% avg
55
Arvada, CO
$20,760/year
$1,730/mo
▲ 41% avg
56
San Diego, CA
$20,640/year
$1,720/mo
▲ 40% avg
57
Rochester, NY
$20,520/year
$1,710/mo
▲ 39% avg
58
Clovis, CA
$20,520/year
$1,710/mo
▲ 39% avg
59
Hartford, CT
$20,160/year
$1,680/mo
▲ 37% avg
60
Anaheim, CA
$20,160/year
$1,680/mo
▲ 37% avg
61
Visalia, CA
$19,920/year
$1,660/mo
▲ 35% avg
62
Newark, NJ
$19,800/year
$1,650/mo
▲ 34% avg
63
Bend, OR
$19,800/year
$1,650/mo
▲ 34% avg
64
Chicago, IL
$19,800/year
$1,650/mo
▲ 34% avg
65
Naperville, IL
$19,320/year
$1,610/mo
▲ 31% avg
66
Santa Ana, CA
$18,960/year
$1,580/mo
▲ 28% avg
67
Salem, OR
$18,960/year
$1,580/mo
▲ 28% avg
68
Manchester, NH
$18,960/year
$1,580/mo
▲ 28% avg
69
Portland, OR
$18,720/year
$1,560/mo
▲ 27% avg
70
Anchorage, AK
$18,480/year
$1,540/mo
▲ 25% avg
71
Baltimore, MD
$18,240/year
$1,520/mo
▲ 24% avg
72
Philadelphia, PA
$17,760/year
$1,480/mo
▲ 20% avg
73
Tacoma, WA
$17,760/year
$1,480/mo
▲ 20% avg
74
Minneapolis, MN
$17,760/year
$1,480/mo
▲ 20% avg
75
Providence, RI
$17,400/year
$1,450/mo
▲ 18% avg
76
Denver, CO
$17,280/year
$1,440/mo
▲ 17% avg
77
St. Paul, MN
$17,160/year
$1,430/mo
▲ 16% avg
78
Pueblo, CO
$16,920/year
$1,410/mo
▲ 15% avg
79
Joliet, IL
$16,800/year
$1,400/mo
▲ 14% avg
80
Elgin, IL
$16,440/year
$1,370/mo
▲ 11% avg
81
Aurora, CO
$15,840/year
$1,320/mo
▲ 7% avg
82
Madison, WI
$15,600/year
$1,300/mo
▲ 6% avg
83
Springfield, IL
$15,480/year
$1,290/mo
▲ 5% avg
84
Sacramento, CA
$15,360/year
$1,280/mo
~avg
85
Ann Arbor, MI
$15,240/year
$1,270/mo
~avg
86
Atlanta, GA
$15,000/year
$1,250/mo
~avg
87
Rockford, IL
$14,760/year
$1,230/mo
~avg
88
Raleigh, NC
$14,400/year
$1,200/mo
~avg
89
Durham, NC
$14,400/year
$1,200/mo
~avg
90
Scottsdale, AZ
$14,160/year
$1,180/mo
~avg
91
Austin, TX
$14,160/year
$1,180/mo
~avg
92
Richmond, VA
$14,160/year
$1,180/mo
~avg
93
Colorado Springs, CO
$13,800/year
$1,150/mo
▼ 7% avg
94
Charlotte, NC
$13,800/year
$1,150/mo
▼ 7% avg
95
Miami, FL
$13,800/year
$1,150/mo
▼ 7% avg
96
Green Bay, WI
$13,680/year
$1,140/mo
▼ 7% avg
97
Virginia Beach, VA
$13,560/year
$1,130/mo
▼ 8% avg
98
Milwaukee, WI
$13,560/year
$1,130/mo
▼ 8% avg
99
Sterling Heights, MI
$13,440/year
$1,120/mo
▼ 9% avg
100
Grand Rapids, MI
$13,200/year
$1,100/mo
▼ 11% avg
💲
Daycare Cost Calculator 2026 — Can I Afford Childcare?
Calculate →
National average: $1,230/month for infant care. Enter your state and income to see your exact cost.
Why are costs so different by city?
Childcare costs track local wages and real estate — the two biggest operating costs for any center. A city with high rent and $20/hour minimum wages for childcare workers will charge $500–$1,000/month more than a city with $12/hour wages and cheap commercial space. The gap between the cheapest and most expensive cities is now $1,500+/month — that's $18,000/year for the same care.