State cost data
Iowa
Quick answer
How much does daycare cost in Iowa?
Full-time center-based infant care in Iowa runs $12,694 a year on Child Care Aware of America's 2024 survey, about 16.8% of the state's median household income. Family child care (a licensed home-based provider) runs $8,596 a year for an infant, typically less than a center.
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Center-based, infant | $12,694 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Center-based, toddler | $11,729 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Center-based, 4-year-old | $10,100 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Center-based, before/after school | $3,572 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Center-based, full-time summer | $2,128 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Family child care (FCC), infant | $8,596 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Family child care (FCC), toddler | $8,443 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Family child care (FCC), 4-year-old | $8,285 | Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025) |
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income (2024) | $75,501 | U.S. Census Bureau, "Household Income in States and Metropolitan Areas: 2024," American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates (ACSBR-025, published September 2025) |
Source: Child Care Aware of America, "Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, Affordability Analysis" (survey fielded January 2025, published May 2025). Checked 2026-08-28. See the full methodology and the cross-state statistics page.
Use this number
- Compare Iowa against another state in the cost explorer.
- See Iowa childcare as a share of your income in the budget calculator.