Childcare cost guides
Short, source-backed explainers on how US childcare pricing works — the difference between center-based and family care, why infant care is the most expensive age group, the 7% affordability benchmark, and how the federal National Database of Childcare Prices is compiled. Use these alongside the state and county data.
Source: U.S. DOL Women's Bureau — National Database of Childcare Prices. Data as of June 2026.
What each is, how they differ, and how much you save with home-based care.
Why infant care costs the mostStaff-to-child ratios explain why babies cost more than preschoolers.
The 7% affordability benchmarkWhat the HHS childcare affordability standard means and where it's met.
How the NDCP is builtHow the federal childcare-price database is compiled and what its limits are.
Last updated: 2026-06-20