DaycareCalc

Daycare Cost as % of Income by State (2026)

The federal government says childcare is "affordable" at 7% of income. Infant center care nationally runs 18.3%. Pick your state to see where you stand.

National snapshot (2026)

Median Income

$80,610

Infant Center

$1,230/mo

% of Income

18.3%

Affordable At

7%

Highest % of income

New York 30.0% District of Columbia 28.3% Massachusetts 27.4% Rhode Island 26.1% Vermont 24.3%

Lowest % of income

Utah 13.1% Alabama 14.1% Arkansas 14.5% Louisiana 14.5% Mississippi 14.7%

All States: Infant Daycare as % of Median Income

Infant center-based care. Income: ACS 5-year estimates. Costs: ACF Market Rate Survey data.

State Median Income Infant Cost/Mo % of Income
Alabama $59,609 $700 14.1%
Alaska $86,370 $1,400 19.5%
Arizona $72,581 $1,000 16.5%
Arkansas $56,335 $680 14.5%
California $91,905 $1,800 23.5%
Colorado $87,598 $1,600 21.9%
Connecticut $90,213 $1,800 23.9%
Delaware $79,325 $1,200 18.2%
District of Columbia $101,722 $2,400 28.3%
Florida $67,917 $1,000 17.7%
Georgia $71,355 $900 15.1%
Hawaii $94,814 $1,500 19.0%
Idaho $72,580 $900 14.9%
Illinois $78,433 $1,400 21.4%
Indiana $67,173 $1,000 17.9%
Iowa $72,429 $1,000 16.6%
Kansas $69,747 $900 15.5%
Kentucky $60,407 $800 15.9%
Louisiana $57,852 $700 14.5%
Maine $68,251 $1,200 21.1%
Maryland $98,461 $1,600 19.5%
Massachusetts $96,505 $2,200 27.4%
Michigan $68,505 $1,100 19.3%
Minnesota $84,313 $1,400 19.9%
Mississippi $52,985 $650 14.7%
Missouri $65,920 $900 16.4%
Montana $66,017 $1,000 18.2%
Nebraska $74,580 $1,000 16.1%
Nevada $71,646 $1,000 16.7%
New Hampshire $90,845 $1,500 19.8%
New Jersey $97,126 $1,700 21.0%
New Mexico $58,722 $850 17.4%
New York $75,910 $1,900 30.0%
North Carolina $66,186 $950 17.2%
North Dakota $73,959 $1,000 16.2%
Ohio $65,720 $1,000 18.3%
Oklahoma $61,364 $750 14.7%
Oregon $76,362 $1,500 23.6%
Pennsylvania $73,170 $1,200 19.7%
Rhode Island $78,089 $1,700 26.1%
South Carolina $63,623 $850 16.0%
South Dakota $69,457 $850 14.7%
Tennessee $63,109 $850 16.2%
Texas $73,035 $900 14.8%
Utah $86,833 $950 13.1%
Vermont $74,014 $1,500 24.3%
Virginia $87,249 $1,400 19.3%
Washington $91,306 $1,800 23.7%
West Virginia $52,520 $750 17.1%
Wisconsin $72,458 $1,200 19.9%
Wyoming $72,495 $900 14.9%
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Nobody Meets the 7% Benchmark

The federal standard for "affordable" childcare is 7% of household income. For infant center care, zero states hit that mark. The national average is 18.3%, and the actual range runs from about 10% in the cheapest states to over 25% in the most expensive.

That 7% figure comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. At the national median income of $80,610, 7% means $470/month. Infant center care averages $1,230/month. The gap is $760/month, or $9,120/year.

Why These Numbers Are Actually Worse

Median household income includes every household: retirees, empty-nesters, single adults with no children. Families with kids under 5 are disproportionately in their late 20s and early 30s, earning less than the overall median. The real ratio for families who actually use daycare is higher than what the state-level data shows.

City-level variation matters too. Metro areas in high-cost states run 20-35% above the statewide average. A family in San Francisco or Manhattan is paying substantially more than these state figures suggest.

It Gets Better (Slowly)

Infant care is the peak. Toddler rates drop about 12%. Preschool drops another 15%. School-age care (before/after school programs) costs roughly 60% of infant rates. The pain is front-loaded into the first two years.