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    Childcare Costs by State (2026)

    Full-time daycare fees, median household income, two-bedroom rent and the gross salary a returning parent needs just to break even — for all 50 US states. Averaged across the states, infant care runs about $1,118 a month, or $13,416 a year per child.

    Most expensive states

    1. Massachusetts — $2,000/mo
    2. Washington — $1,700/mo
    3. California — $1,650/mo
    4. Colorado — $1,600/mo
    5. New York — $1,600/mo

    Cheapest states

    1. Mississippi — $650/mo
    2. Alabama — $700/mo
    3. Arkansas — $700/mo
    4. Louisiana — $750/mo
    5. West Virginia — $750/mo

    All 50 states compared

    Childcare costs, median income and break-even salary by US state, 2026
    StateInfant care / mo4-year-old / moMedian incomeBreak-even salary
    Childcare costs in Alabama$700$600$62,000$11,500
    Childcare costs in Alaska$1,050$900$89,000$15,500
    Childcare costs in Arizona$1,150$950$76,000$16,500
    Childcare costs in Arkansas$700$600$58,000$11,500
    Childcare costs in California$1,650$1,250$96,000$22,500
    Childcare costs in Colorado$1,600$1,250$92,000$22,000
    Childcare costs in Connecticut$1,450$1,200$92,000$20,500
    Childcare costs in Delaware$1,000$850$82,000$15,000
    Childcare costs in Florida$1,000$850$71,000$15,000
    Childcare costs in Georgia$950$800$76,000$14,500
    Childcare costs in Hawaii$1,300$1,100$98,000$18,500
    Childcare costs in Idaho$900$800$74,000$13,500
    Childcare costs in Illinois$1,400$1,100$80,000$19,500
    Childcare costs in Indiana$950$800$70,000$14,500
    Childcare costs in Iowa$950$800$73,000$14,500
    Childcare costs in Kansas$950$800$72,000$14,500
    Childcare costs in Kentucky$800$700$64,000$12,500
    Childcare costs in Louisiana$750$650$60,000$12,000
    Childcare costs in Maine$1,050$900$73,000$15,500
    Childcare costs in Maryland$1,500$1,200$102,000$21,000
    Childcare costs in Massachusetts$2,000$1,550$101,000$27,000
    Childcare costs in Michigan$1,050$900$71,000$15,500
    Childcare costs in Minnesota$1,500$1,150$88,000$21,000
    Childcare costs in Mississippi$650$550$55,000$10,500
    Childcare costs in Missouri$900$750$70,000$13,500
    Childcare costs in Montana$1,000$850$71,000$15,000
    Childcare costs in Nebraska$1,000$850$76,000$15,000
    Childcare costs in Nevada$1,100$950$74,000$16,000
    Childcare costs in New Hampshire$1,300$1,100$96,000$18,500
    Childcare costs in New Jersey$1,350$1,100$101,000$19,000
    Childcare costs in New Mexico$850$750$62,000$13,000
    Childcare costs in New York$1,600$1,300$84,000$22,000
    Childcare costs in North Carolina$1,050$900$72,000$15,500
    Childcare costs in North Dakota$900$800$76,000$13,500
    Childcare costs in Ohio$1,000$850$69,000$15,000
    Childcare costs in Oklahoma$800$700$63,000$12,500
    Childcare costs in Oregon$1,500$1,250$84,000$21,000
    Childcare costs in Pennsylvania$1,200$1,000$76,000$17,500
    Childcare costs in Rhode Island$1,400$1,150$84,000$19,500
    Childcare costs in South Carolina$850$750$68,000$13,000
    Childcare costs in South Dakota$850$750$73,000$13,000
    Childcare costs in Tennessee$900$800$69,000$13,500
    Childcare costs in Texas$1,050$900$76,000$15,500
    Childcare costs in Utah$1,050$900$89,000$15,500
    Childcare costs in Vermont$1,350$1,150$79,000$19,000
    Childcare costs in Virginia$1,350$1,100$90,000$19,000
    Childcare costs in Washington$1,700$1,350$95,000$23,500
    Childcare costs in West Virginia$750$650$58,000$12,000
    Childcare costs in Wisconsin$1,200$1,000$76,000$17,500
    Childcare costs in Wyoming$900$800$73,000$13,500

    Common questions

    Which state has the most expensive childcare?

    Massachusetts leads on full-time infant care in this dataset at around $2,000 a month, followed by Washington, California, New York and Colorado. Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama and Louisiana are the cheapest in dollar terms, though they also have the lowest median household incomes.

    What is the average cost of childcare in the US?

    Averaged across the 50 states, full-time infant daycare works out at roughly $1,118 a month in 2026, or about $13,416 a year per child.

    How are these state childcare figures calculated?

    Each state page combines published childcare price data, U.S. Census Bureau median household income and HUD Fair Market Rents for a two-bedroom home, all rounded for readability. The break-even salary is derived with federal income-tax bands and no subsidies applied.

    Childcare costs by city · Two-income break-even calculator · Methodology and dataset · US childcare calculator