WASHINGTON, D.C. (LOOTPRESS) – Child care expenses in the United States have surpassed a month’s rent for many families, posing significant financial challenges, according to the newly updated National Database of Childcare Prices.
The findings, released by the U.S. Department of Labor, underscore the heavy burden on parents with young children, as child care costs consume a substantial portion of household income.
The database, developed by the department’s Women’s Bureau, provides county-level median prices for center- and home-based child care providers for children aged 0 to 12. Covering data from 2008 to 2022 across 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, it is the most comprehensive public federal resource on child care pricing at the county level.
The update includes data from 2019 to 2022 and analyzes prices in 2,512 U.S. counties. The results are sobering: the median cost of center-based infant care exceeds the median cost of rent in many areas.
“The fact that the median cost of center-based infant care is more than the median cost of rent should be of urgent concern,” said Women’s Bureau Director Wendy Chun-Hoon. “Families are struggling, and women are disproportionately impacted. While measures like the American Rescue Plan have provided some relief, more federal investments are essential to make child care accessible and affordable for all families.”
Nationwide, families spend between 8.9% and 16% of their median income on full-day care for one child, with annual costs in 2022 ranging from $6,552 to $15,600. Counties with the highest child care costs relative to income include Stearns County, Minnesota; Bronx County, New York; Piute County, Utah; Essex County, Vermont; Grays Harbor and Wahkiakum counties in Washington; and Guanica County, Puerto Rico.
The database aims to highlight the urgent need for federal intervention to address the growing crisis of child care affordability.
For more information, visit the National Database of Childcare Prices website.
