Infant Daycare Cost Burden by State
Child Care Aware of America publishes the annual cost of center-based infant daycare per state. Pair with ACS median household income and the picture is plain — daycare runs 7-22% of a median household budget, and in DC / MA / CA it exceeds in-state college tuition. The page below is the rank.
Heaviest infant daycare burden Massachusetts $21,168/yr · 20.9% of median income
Lightest infant daycare burden Utah $10,260/yr · 11.2% of median income
States above 17% threshold 11 where infant daycare exceeds 1/6 of household income
States ranked by infant daycare share of income
HHS' affordability benchmark says childcare should cost no more than 7% of household income. Every U.S. state exceeds that benchmark for infant care.
| # | State | Infant Annual | Preschool Annual | Median Income | Share of Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $21,168 | $16,560 | $101,341 | 20.9% |
| 2 | New York | $16,580 | $12,396 | $84,578 | 19.6% |
| 3 | Minnesota | $16,896 | $13,320 | $87,556 | 19.3% |
| 4 | California | $17,748 | $12,780 | $96,334 | 18.4% |
| 5 | Illinois | $14,820 | $11,316 | $81,702 | 18.1% |
| 6 | Wisconsin | $13,584 | $10,716 | $75,670 | 18.0% |
| 7 | Colorado | $16,536 | $12,852 | $92,470 | 17.9% |
| 8 | Oregon | $14,172 | $10,356 | $80,426 | 17.6% |
| 9 | Vermont | $13,692 | $11,148 | $78,024 | 17.5% |
| 10 | Connecticut | $16,452 | $12,816 | $93,760 | 17.5% |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $12,960 | $10,680 | $76,081 | 17.0% |
| 12 | Washington | $16,140 | $12,468 | $94,952 | 17.0% |
| 13 | Maryland | $17,160 | $13,224 | $101,652 | 16.9% |
| 14 | Maine | $11,988 | $9,024 | $71,773 | 16.7% |
| 15 | Virginia | $14,496 | $11,160 | $90,974 | 15.9% |
| 16 | Indiana | $11,136 | $8,568 | $70,051 | 15.9% |
| 17 | Nebraska | $11,784 | $9,168 | $74,985 | 15.7% |
| 18 | Missouri | $10,776 | $8,124 | $68,920 | 15.6% |
| 19 | Ohio | $10,800 | $8,496 | $69,680 | 15.5% |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $13,260 | $10,236 | $86,372 | 15.4% |
| 21 | West Virginia | $8,880 | $7,380 | $57,917 | 15.3% |
| 22 | New Mexico | $9,444 | $7,260 | $62,125 | 15.2% |
| 23 | Kansas | $11,016 | $8,496 | $72,639 | 15.2% |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $14,244 | $10,920 | $95,628 | 14.9% |
| 25 | North Carolina | $10,344 | $8,040 | $69,904 | 14.8% |
| 26 | Florida | $10,608 | $7,860 | $71,711 | 14.8% |
| 27 | Michigan | $10,512 | $8,316 | $71,149 | 14.8% |
| 28 | Kentucky | $9,192 | $7,032 | $62,417 | 14.7% |
| 29 | Hawaii | $14,268 | $10,200 | $98,317 | 14.5% |
| 30 | Iowa | $10,608 | $8,268 | $73,147 | 14.5% |
| 31 | Nevada | $10,944 | $8,760 | $75,561 | 14.5% |
| 32 | Alabama | $8,944 | $6,528 | $62,027 | 14.4% |
| 33 | Arizona | $11,076 | $8,388 | $76,872 | 14.4% |
| 34 | New Jersey | $14,460 | $10,752 | $101,050 | 14.3% |
| 35 | Montana | $9,876 | $8,136 | $69,922 | 14.1% |
| 36 | North Dakota | $10,500 | $8,340 | $75,949 | 13.8% |
| 37 | Wyoming | $10,308 | $8,700 | $74,815 | 13.8% |
| 38 | Tennessee | $9,204 | $6,924 | $67,097 | 13.7% |
| 39 | Louisiana | $8,196 | $5,832 | $60,023 | 13.7% |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $8,664 | $6,972 | $63,603 | 13.6% |
| 41 | Alaska | $12,168 | $9,480 | $89,336 | 13.6% |
| 42 | South Carolina | $8,916 | $6,588 | $66,818 | 13.3% |
| 43 | Delaware | $11,004 | $8,808 | $82,855 | 13.3% |
| 44 | Arkansas | $7,800 | $5,748 | $58,773 | 13.3% |
| 45 | Texas | $9,948 | $7,692 | $76,292 | 13.0% |
| 46 | Georgia | $9,252 | $7,224 | $74,664 | 12.4% |
| 47 | Mississippi | $6,576 | $5,040 | $54,915 | 12.0% |
| 48 | Idaho | $8,724 | $6,600 | $74,636 | 11.7% |
| 49 | South Dakota | $8,160 | $6,540 | $72,421 | 11.3% |
| 50 | Utah | $10,260 | $7,764 | $91,750 | 11.2% |
Method
- Annual cost = Child Care Aware of America 2024 state survey. Center-based, full-time, infant (under 12 months). Family home daycare runs 20-40% lower; full-time nanny 50-100% higher.
- Income = ACS 5-year median household. Renter and owner combined.
- Share = annual cost / income. Above 17% (the U.S. average) means childcare is the largest household expense after housing.
Sources: Child Care Aware, U.S. Census ACS.