US childcare cost by state
This is the index of childcare cost for 49 US states and DC. The headline figure is each state's median center-based infant-care price — the most expensive and most-searched age group. The table ranks every reporting state from most to least expensive and adds preschool cost and childcare as a share of median household income. The US median is about $7,987/year (2018). Tap any state for its full page with every age group, family-care prices and similar-cost peers.
Source: U.S. DOL Women's Bureau — National Database of Childcare Prices. Data as of June 2026.
Every reporting state, ranked by infant-care cost
| # | State | Data year | Infant (center)/yr | Preschool/yr | % of median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 2018 | $18,000 | $11,760 | 22.9% |
| 2 | Alaska | 2018 | $17,484 | $11,400 | 22.8% |
| 3 | Connecticut | 2018 | $15,860 | $12,610 | 20.4% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 2018 | $15,860 | $11,700 | 20.1% |
| 5 | District of Columbia | 2012 | $15,786 | $12,365 | 22.3% |
| 6 | California | 2018 | $15,058 | $9,453 | 20.6% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 2018 | $14,073 | $12,063 | 22.2% |
| 8 | New Jersey | 2018 | $13,193 | $10,096 | 16.4% |
| 9 | Washington | 2018 | $12,900 | $9,744 | 17.9% |
| 10 | Vermont | 2018 | $11,929 | $10,910 | 19.6% |
| 11 | Maryland | 2018 | $11,550 | $7,988 | 13.7% |
| 12 | New York | 2018 | $11,429 | $10,130 | 16.5% |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 2018 | $11,119 | $9,180 | 14.7% |
| 14 | Wisconsin | 2018 | $10,400 | $9,100 | 17.3% |
| 15 | Minnesota | 2018 | $9,984 | $7,852 | 14.2% |
| 16 | Maine | 2018 | $9,620 | $8,645 | 17.0% |
| 17 | Utah | 2018 | $9,522 | $7,386 | 13.8% |
| 18 | Ohio | 2018 | $9,412 | $7,540 | 16.9% |
| 19 | Delaware | 2018 | $9,327 | $7,808 | 14.0% |
| 20 | Arizona | 2018 | $9,230 | $7,410 | 16.2% |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | 2018 | $9,230 | $7,930 | 15.1% |
| 22 | Nevada | 2016 | $9,112 | $8,642 | 16.3% |
| 23 | Colorado | 2015 | $9,017 | $7,231 | 13.8% |
| 24 | Virginia | 2018 | $8,840 | $7,020 | 11.3% |
| 25 | Illinois | 2018 | $8,718 | $6,500 | 13.3% |
| 26 | North Carolina | 2018 | $8,579 | $6,031 | 15.9% |
| 27 | Michigan | 2018 | $8,495 | $7,433 | 15.1% |
| 28 | Oregon | 2018 | $8,340 | $8,040 | 13.7% |
| 29 | Florida | 2017 | $8,000 | $6,149 | 15.2% |
| 30 | Nebraska | 2018 | $7,987 | $7,166 | 13.3% |
| 31 | Iowa | 2017 | $7,807 | $6,663 | 13.3% |
| 32 | Oklahoma | 2018 | $7,631 | $6,413 | 14.7% |
| 33 | North Dakota | 2018 | $7,435 | $6,349 | 11.6% |
| 34 | Montana | 2016 | $7,297 | $6,385 | 14.3% |
| 35 | Wyoming | 2018 | $7,154 | $5,835 | 11.4% |
| 36 | Texas | 2018 | $6,942 | $5,858 | 11.4% |
| 37 | Missouri | 2018 | $6,922 | $5,377 | 12.6% |
| 38 | Idaho | 2018 | $6,917 | $5,906 | 12.9% |
| 39 | West Virginia | 2018 | $6,714 | $5,819 | 14.7% |
| 40 | Tennessee | 2018 | $6,605 | $5,720 | 12.6% |
| 41 | Louisiana | 2016 | $6,430 | $6,238 | 13.2% |
| 42 | South Carolina | 2018 | $6,370 | $5,395 | 12.3% |
| 43 | Alabama | 2018 | $6,261 | $5,452 | 12.7% |
| 44 | Kentucky | 2018 | $5,980 | $5,330 | 12.1% |
| 45 | Kansas | 2018 | $5,876 | $5,294 | 9.9% |
| 46 | South Dakota | 2018 | $5,377 | $5,243 | 9.5% |
| 47 | Arkansas | 2018 | $5,135 | $4,615 | 11.0% |
| 48 | Georgia | 2016 | $4,940 | $4,680 | 9.0% |
| 49 | Mississippi | 2018 | $3,526 | $3,331 | 7.9% |
Source: U.S. DOL Women's Bureau — National Database of Childcare Prices (latest year per state). Data as of June 2026.
"Data year" is the latest year each state appears in the federal database (most are 2018; a few are earlier). Indiana and New Mexico are omitted — the source has no price data for them.
Browse states A–Z
Infant $6,261/yr · 12.7% of income
AlaskaInfant $17,484/yr · 22.8% of income
ArizonaInfant $9,230/yr · 16.2% of income
ArkansasInfant $5,135/yr · 11.0% of income
CaliforniaInfant $15,058/yr · 20.6% of income
ColoradoInfant $9,017/yr · 13.8% of income
ConnecticutInfant $15,860/yr · 20.4% of income
DelawareInfant $9,327/yr · 14.0% of income
District of ColumbiaInfant $15,786/yr · 22.3% of income
FloridaInfant $8,000/yr · 15.2% of income
GeorgiaInfant $4,940/yr · 9.0% of income
HawaiiInfant $18,000/yr · 22.9% of income
IdahoInfant $6,917/yr · 12.9% of income
IllinoisInfant $8,718/yr · 13.3% of income
IowaInfant $7,807/yr · 13.3% of income
KansasInfant $5,876/yr · 9.9% of income
KentuckyInfant $5,980/yr · 12.1% of income
LouisianaInfant $6,430/yr · 13.2% of income
MaineInfant $9,620/yr · 17.0% of income
MarylandInfant $11,550/yr · 13.7% of income
MassachusettsInfant $15,860/yr · 20.1% of income
MichiganInfant $8,495/yr · 15.1% of income
MinnesotaInfant $9,984/yr · 14.2% of income
MississippiInfant $3,526/yr · 7.9% of income
MissouriInfant $6,922/yr · 12.6% of income
MontanaInfant $7,297/yr · 14.3% of income
NebraskaInfant $7,987/yr · 13.3% of income
NevadaInfant $9,112/yr · 16.3% of income
New HampshireInfant $11,119/yr · 14.7% of income
New JerseyInfant $13,193/yr · 16.4% of income
New YorkInfant $11,429/yr · 16.5% of income
North CarolinaInfant $8,579/yr · 15.9% of income
North DakotaInfant $7,435/yr · 11.6% of income
OhioInfant $9,412/yr · 16.9% of income
OklahomaInfant $7,631/yr · 14.7% of income
OregonInfant $8,340/yr · 13.7% of income
PennsylvaniaInfant $9,230/yr · 15.1% of income
Rhode IslandInfant $14,073/yr · 22.2% of income
South CarolinaInfant $6,370/yr · 12.3% of income
South DakotaInfant $5,377/yr · 9.5% of income
TennesseeInfant $6,605/yr · 12.6% of income
TexasInfant $6,942/yr · 11.4% of income
UtahInfant $9,522/yr · 13.8% of income
VermontInfant $11,929/yr · 19.6% of income
VirginiaInfant $8,840/yr · 11.3% of income
WashingtonInfant $12,900/yr · 17.9% of income
West VirginiaInfant $6,714/yr · 14.7% of income
WisconsinInfant $10,400/yr · 17.3% of income
WyomingInfant $7,154/yr · 11.4% of income
Browse by region
Northeast
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont
Midwest
Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin
South
Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia
West
Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
Prices are median weekly figures from the federal National Database of Childcare Prices, annualized at ×52. See methodology for sources and derivations, or use the calculator to estimate your own annual cost and income share.
Last updated: 2026-06-20