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
Point Reyes Station, CA
$30,360/year
$2,530/mo
▲ 106% avg
3
Bellevue, WA
$30,240/year
$2,520/mo
▲ 105% avg
4
Irvine, CA
$29,760/year
$2,480/mo
▲ 102% avg
5
Fremont, CA
$29,760/year
$2,480/mo
▲ 102% avg
6
Yonkers, NY
$29,640/year
$2,470/mo
▲ 101% avg
7
Midtown Manhattan, NY
$29,400/year
$2,450/mo
▲ 99% avg
8
Daly City, CA
$29,160/year
$2,430/mo
▲ 98% avg
9
Lowell, MA
$28,560/year
$2,380/mo
▲ 93% avg
10
San Francisco, CA
$28,200/year
$2,350/mo
▲ 91% avg
11
Hayward, CA
$28,080/year
$2,340/mo
▲ 90% avg
12
Huntington Beach, CA
$28,080/year
$2,340/mo
▲ 90% avg
13
Worcester, MA
$27,720/year
$2,310/mo
▲ 88% avg
14
Carlsbad, CA
$27,000/year
$2,250/mo
▲ 83% avg
15
Hamilton Heights, NY
$26,640/year
$2,220/mo
▲ 80% avg
16
New York City, NY
$26,400/year
$2,200/mo
▲ 79% avg
17
Concord, CA
$25,920/year
$2,160/mo
▲ 76% avg
18
Chula Vista, CA
$25,920/year
$2,160/mo
▲ 76% avg
19
Santa Clarita, CA
$25,920/year
$2,160/mo
▲ 76% avg
20
Washington, DC
$25,800/year
$2,150/mo
▲ 75% avg
21
Boston, MA
$25,200/year
$2,100/mo
▲ 71% avg
22
Bothell, WA
$24,960/year
$2,080/mo
▲ 69% avg
23
Glendale, CA
$24,840/year
$2,070/mo
▲ 68% avg
24
Simi Valley, CA
$24,840/year
$2,070/mo
▲ 68% avg
25
Oxnard, CA
$24,840/year
$2,070/mo
▲ 68% avg
26
Westminster, CA
$24,840/year
$2,070/mo
▲ 68% avg
27
Merrick, NY
$24,840/year
$2,070/mo
▲ 68% avg
28
Uniondale, NY
$24,720/year
$2,060/mo
▲ 67% avg
29
San Jose, CA
$24,600/year
$2,050/mo
▲ 67% avg
30
Seaford, NY
$24,480/year
$2,040/mo
▲ 66% avg
31
Santa Barbara, CA
$24,480/year
$2,040/mo
▲ 66% avg
32
Roseville, CA
$24,240/year
$2,020/mo
▲ 64% avg
33
Jamaica (Queens), NY
$24,240/year
$2,020/mo
▲ 64% avg
34
Boulder, CO
$24,000/year
$2,000/mo
▲ 63% avg
35
Amityville, NY
$23,880/year
$1,990/mo
▲ 62% avg
36
Beverly, MA
$23,880/year
$1,990/mo
▲ 62% avg
37
Venice, CA
$23,820/year
$1,985/mo
▲ 61% avg
38
Seattle, WA
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
39
Elk Grove, CA
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
40
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
41
Riverside, CA
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
42
Salinas, CA
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
43
Vista, CA
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
44
Bridgeport, CT
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
45
West Covina, CA
$23,760/year
$1,980/mo
▲ 61% avg
46
North Reading, MA
$23,520/year
$1,960/mo
▲ 59% avg
47
Temecula, CA
$23,280/year
$1,940/mo
▲ 58% avg
48
Moreno Valley, CA
$22,680/year
$1,890/mo
▲ 54% avg
49
Los Angeles, CA
$22,680/year
$1,890/mo
▲ 54% avg
50
Pomona, CA
$22,680/year
$1,890/mo
▲ 54% avg
51
Ridge, NY
$22,680/year
$1,890/mo
▲ 54% avg
52
Fontana, CA
$22,680/year
$1,890/mo
▲ 54% avg
53
Ontario, CA
$22,680/year
$1,890/mo
▲ 54% avg
54
New Haven, CT
$22,680/year
$1,890/mo
▲ 54% avg
55
Paterson, NJ
$22,440/year
$1,870/mo
▲ 52% avg
56
Bowie, MD
$22,080/year
$1,840/mo
▲ 50% avg
57
Modesto, CA
$21,600/year
$1,800/mo
▲ 46% avg
58
Stockton, CA
$21,600/year
$1,800/mo
▲ 46% avg
59
Palmdale, CA
$21,600/year
$1,800/mo
▲ 46% avg
60
San Bernardino, CA
$21,600/year
$1,800/mo
▲ 46% avg
61
Centennial, CO
$21,480/year
$1,790/mo
▲ 46% avg
62
Lakewood, CO
$21,480/year
$1,790/mo
▲ 46% avg
63
Jersey City, NJ
$21,360/year
$1,780/mo
▲ 45% avg
64
Thornton, CO
$21,120/year
$1,760/mo
▲ 43% avg
65
Waterbury, CT
$21,120/year
$1,760/mo
▲ 43% avg
66
Westminster, CO
$21,120/year
$1,760/mo
▲ 43% avg
67
Longmont, CO
$21,120/year
$1,760/mo
▲ 43% avg
68
Long Beach, CA
$21,000/year
$1,750/mo
▲ 42% avg
69
Honolulu, HI
$21,000/year
$1,750/mo
▲ 42% avg
70
Granby, CT
$21,000/year
$1,750/mo
▲ 42% avg
71
Arvada, CO
$20,760/year
$1,730/mo
▲ 41% avg
72
Rohnert Park, CA
$20,640/year
$1,720/mo
▲ 40% avg
73
San Diego, CA
$20,640/year
$1,720/mo
▲ 40% avg
74
Rochester, NY
$20,520/year
$1,710/mo
▲ 39% avg
75
Clovis, CA
$20,520/year
$1,710/mo
▲ 39% avg
76
South El Monte, CA
$20,400/year
$1,700/mo
▲ 38% avg
77
Hartford, CT
$20,160/year
$1,680/mo
▲ 37% avg
78
Anaheim, CA
$20,160/year
$1,680/mo
▲ 37% avg
79
Visalia, CA
$19,920/year
$1,660/mo
▲ 35% avg
80
Bend, OR
$19,800/year
$1,650/mo
▲ 34% avg
81
Newark, NJ
$19,800/year
$1,650/mo
▲ 34% avg
82
Chicago, IL
$19,800/year
$1,650/mo
▲ 34% avg
83
Naperville, IL
$19,320/year
$1,610/mo
▲ 31% avg
84
Gig Harbor, WA
$19,260/year
$1,605/mo
▲ 30% avg
85
Manchester, NH
$18,960/year
$1,580/mo
▲ 28% avg
86
Santa Ana, CA
$18,960/year
$1,580/mo
▲ 28% avg
87
Salem, OR
$18,960/year
$1,580/mo
▲ 28% avg
88
Lake Elmo, MN
$18,720/year
$1,560/mo
▲ 27% avg
89
Portland, OR
$18,720/year
$1,560/mo
▲ 27% avg
90
Anchorage, AK
$18,480/year
$1,540/mo
▲ 25% avg
91
Baltimore, MD
$18,240/year
$1,520/mo
▲ 24% avg
92
Lakeville, MN
$18,120/year
$1,510/mo
▲ 23% avg
93
Eagan, MN
$18,000/year
$1,500/mo
▲ 22% avg
94
Minneapolis, MN
$17,760/year
$1,480/mo
▲ 20% avg
95
Philadelphia, PA
$17,760/year
$1,480/mo
▲ 20% avg
96
Tacoma, WA
$17,760/year
$1,480/mo
▲ 20% avg
97
Gloucester City, NJ
$17,640/year
$1,470/mo
▲ 20% avg
98
Providence, RI
$17,400/year
$1,450/mo
▲ 18% avg
99
Denver, CO
$17,280/year
$1,440/mo
▲ 17% avg
100
St. Paul, MN
$17,160/year
$1,430/mo
▲ 16% 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.