Most expensive states for childcare
The most expensive US state for childcare is Hawaii, where median center-based infant care costs about $18,000 a year ($346/week). Next come Alaska ($17,484) and Connecticut ($15,860). For comparison, the US median is $7,987. The full ranking, with childcare as a share of income, is below.
Source: U.S. DOL Women's Bureau — National Database of Childcare Prices. Data as of June 2026.
States ranked, most to least expensive (infant care)
| # | State | Year | Weekly | Annual | % of income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 2018 | $346 | $18,000 | 22.9% |
| 2 | Alaska | 2018 | $336 | $17,484 | 22.8% |
| 3 | Connecticut | 2018 | $305 | $15,860 | 20.4% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 2018 | $305 | $15,860 | 20.1% |
| 5 | District of Columbia | 2012 | $304 | $15,786 | 22.3% |
| 6 | California | 2018 | $290 | $15,058 | 20.6% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 2018 | $271 | $14,073 | 22.2% |
| 8 | New Jersey | 2018 | $254 | $13,193 | 16.4% |
| 9 | Washington | 2018 | $248 | $12,900 | 17.9% |
| 10 | Vermont | 2018 | $229 | $11,929 | 19.6% |
| 11 | Maryland | 2018 | $222 | $11,550 | 13.7% |
| 12 | New York | 2018 | $220 | $11,429 | 16.5% |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 2018 | $214 | $11,119 | 14.7% |
| 14 | Wisconsin | 2018 | $200 | $10,400 | 17.3% |
| 15 | Minnesota | 2018 | $192 | $9,984 | 14.2% |
| 16 | Maine | 2018 | $185 | $9,620 | 17.0% |
| 17 | Utah | 2018 | $183 | $9,522 | 13.8% |
| 18 | Ohio | 2018 | $181 | $9,412 | 16.9% |
| 19 | Delaware | 2018 | $179 | $9,327 | 14.0% |
| 20 | Arizona | 2018 | $178 | $9,230 | 16.2% |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | 2018 | $178 | $9,230 | 15.1% |
| 22 | Nevada | 2016 | $175 | $9,112 | 16.3% |
| 23 | Colorado | 2015 | $173 | $9,017 | 13.8% |
| 24 | Virginia | 2018 | $170 | $8,840 | 11.3% |
| 25 | Illinois | 2018 | $168 | $8,718 | 13.3% |
| 26 | North Carolina | 2018 | $165 | $8,579 | 15.9% |
| 27 | Michigan | 2018 | $163 | $8,495 | 15.1% |
| 28 | Oregon | 2018 | $160 | $8,340 | 13.7% |
| 29 | Florida | 2017 | $154 | $8,000 | 15.2% |
| 30 | Nebraska | 2018 | $154 | $7,987 | 13.3% |
| 31 | Iowa | 2017 | $150 | $7,807 | 13.3% |
| 32 | Oklahoma | 2018 | $147 | $7,631 | 14.7% |
| 33 | North Dakota | 2018 | $143 | $7,435 | 11.6% |
| 34 | Montana | 2016 | $140 | $7,297 | 14.3% |
| 35 | Wyoming | 2018 | $138 | $7,154 | 11.4% |
| 36 | Texas | 2018 | $134 | $6,942 | 11.4% |
| 37 | Missouri | 2018 | $133 | $6,922 | 12.6% |
| 38 | Idaho | 2018 | $133 | $6,917 | 12.9% |
| 39 | West Virginia | 2018 | $129 | $6,714 | 14.7% |
| 40 | Tennessee | 2018 | $127 | $6,605 | 12.6% |
| 41 | Louisiana | 2016 | $124 | $6,430 | 13.2% |
| 42 | South Carolina | 2018 | $123 | $6,370 | 12.3% |
| 43 | Alabama | 2018 | $120 | $6,261 | 12.7% |
| 44 | Kentucky | 2018 | $115 | $5,980 | 12.1% |
| 45 | Kansas | 2018 | $113 | $5,876 | 9.9% |
| 46 | South Dakota | 2018 | $103 | $5,377 | 9.5% |
| 47 | Arkansas | 2018 | $99 | $5,135 | 11.0% |
| 48 | Georgia | 2016 | $95 | $4,940 | 9.0% |
| 49 | Mississippi | 2018 | $68 | $3,526 | 7.9% |
Source: U.S. DOL Women's Bureau — National Database of Childcare Prices (latest year per state). Data as of June 2026.
Expensive — but is it unaffordable?
A high dollar cost is not the whole story: some expensive states also have high incomes. The income-burden ranking reorders states by childcare as a share of income — a better measure of affordability. For the other end of the dollar scale, see the cheapest states.
Frequently asked questions
What state has the most expensive daycare?
Hawaii has the highest median center-based infant-care cost of any reporting US state, at about $18,000 per year (2018). Alaska ($17,484) and Connecticut ($15,860) follow. Figures are from the federal National Database of Childcare Prices.
Why is childcare so expensive in some states?
Childcare is labor-intensive and tightly regulated: infant rooms require low child-to-staff ratios (often 3–4 infants per adult), so wages dominate cost. High-wage, high-cost-of-living states — the Northeast, the West Coast — therefore have the priciest care, much like their housing.
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Last updated: 2026-06-20