Data asset
Childcare costs, state by state.
50 states plus DC, each priced from the same 2024 survey so the comparison is apples to apples. Center-based infant care, the single most expensive line item in most family budgets, plus toddler, 4-year-old, and family child care (FCC) prices. New Mexico is the one honest gap: it runs no market rate survey, so no figure exists to publish; see its page for why.
Quick answer
Which state has the most expensive center-based infant care?
The District of Columbia has the highest published price for center-based infant care at $26,193 a year, followed by Massachusetts at $26,343 for toddler care and Maryland close behind. Mississippi has the lowest center-based infant price at $7,696 a year. Figures are Child Care Aware of America's 2024 Price of Care survey; see the full statistics page for the computed min, median, and max across all 50 jurisdictions.
| State | Center, infant | Center, 4-year-old | FCC, infant | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $8,632 | $8,008 | $7,670 | $66,659 |
| Alaska | $12,107 | $9,883 | $10,809 | $95,665 |
| Arizona | $15,964 | $11,680 | $10,920 | $81,486 |
| Arkansas | $9,178 | $8,320 | $7,963 | $62,106 |
| California | $22,628 | $16,665 | $19,022 | $100,149 |
| Colorado | $20,978 | $14,800 | $13,666 | $97,113 |
| Connecticut | $18,492 | $15,297 | $14,305 | $96,049 |
| Delaware | $16,617 | $13,218 | $10,997 | $87,534 |
| District of Columbia | $26,193 | $20,981 | $21,382 | $109,707 |
| Florida | $13,011 | $9,409 | $11,201 | $77,735 |
| Georgia | $11,066 | $9,573 | $8,407 | $79,991 |
| Hawaii | $24,115 | $13,992 | $11,632 | $100,745 |
| Idaho | $10,608 | $9,201 | $7,380 | $81,166 |
| Illinois | $19,807 | $17,238 | $12,283 | $83,211 |
| Indiana | $16,478 | $12,531 | $9,508 | $71,959 |
| Iowa | $12,694 | $10,100 | $8,596 | $75,501 |
| Kansas | $15,156 | $9,217 | $7,639 | $75,514 |
| Kentucky | $12,740 | $10,712 | $9,880 | $64,526 |
| Louisiana | $10,847 | $9,378 | not published | $60,986 |
| Maine | $15,730 | $14,144 | $11,830 | $76,442 |
| Maryland | $25,321 | $15,601 | $15,919 | $102,905 |
| Massachusetts | $26,343 | $20,669 | $17,510 | $104,828 |
| Michigan | $13,454 | $12,246 | $9,458 | $72,389 |
| Minnesota | $20,421 | $15,733 | $9,821 | $87,117 |
| Mississippi | $7,696 | $6,864 | $6,188 | $59,127 |
| Missouri | $13,780 | $9,568 | $9,984 | $71,589 |
| Montana | $15,080 | $14,300 | $11,700 | $75,340 |
| Nebraska | $18,147 | $15,738 | $13,383 | $76,376 |
| Nevada | $12,659 | $10,605 | $9,703 | $81,134 |
| New Hampshire | $16,040 | $13,042 | $11,708 | $99,782 |
| New Jersey | $20,213 | $17,503 | $12,502 | $104,294 |
| New York | $20,439 | $17,343 | $16,415 | $85,820 |
| North Carolina | $12,370 | $10,381 | $9,961 | $73,958 |
| North Dakota | $12,299 | $10,869 | $10,141 | $77,871 |
| Ohio | $13,780 | $11,752 | $10,556 | $72,212 |
| Oklahoma | $10,809 | $9,415 | $9,399 | $66,148 |
| Oregon | $19,500 | $13,260 | $15,808 | $85,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $14,910 | $12,453 | $10,994 | $77,545 |
| Rhode Island | $18,486 | $16,212 | $14,300 | $83,504 |
| South Carolina | $10,474 | $9,691 | $8,126 | $72,350 |
| South Dakota | $8,632 | $8,070 | $6,822 | $76,881 |
| Tennessee | $13,126 | $10,840 | $9,415 | $71,997 |
| Texas | $11,349 | $10,225 | $10,010 | $79,721 |
| Utah | $14,160 | $9,876 | $10,800 | $96,658 |
| Vermont | $18,710 | $15,877 | $12,395 | $82,730 |
| Virginia | $16,796 | $13,884 | $13,052 | $92,090 |
| Washington | $21,348 | $16,908 | $18,000 | $99,389 |
| West Virginia | $10,439 | $9,368 | $8,565 | $60,798 |
| Wisconsin | $17,963 | $15,039 | $12,319 | $77,488 |
| Wyoming | $12,784 | $11,229 | $10,704 | $75,532 |
Source: Child Care Aware of America, 2024 Price of Care Affordability Analysis (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025), cross-checked against the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey for income. Every cell links out to a full methodology writeup. Figures change: this matrix was last checked 2026-08-28. See the statistics page for the computed national min, median, and max.
Use the data
- Comparing states or care types? The cost explorer lines up any two states, any age band, center versus family child care.
- Trying to see if it fits your budget? The budget calculator turns a state's price into a share of your household income, and shows how it stacks up against in-state college tuition.