Free tool
Cost explorer
Pick two states, an age band, and center versus family child care. See both prices side by side, with the source and the date behind each one.
Quick answer
How do I compare childcare costs between two states?
Pick your state and a state you are considering (or curious about) below, choose infant, toddler, or 4-year-old, and center-based or family child care. The tool reads directly from this site's sourced 2024 dataset and shows both annual prices, the dollar difference, and the source for each figure.
Source: Child Care Aware of America, 2024 Price of Care Affordability Analysis. Prices are annual, full-time. New Mexico is omitted from the state lists because CCAoA publishes no figure for it (no state market rate survey); see the New Mexico page. Full sourcing on the methodology page.
Want your budget, not just a comparison?
The budget calculator turns a state's price into a share of your household income, and compares it against in-state college tuition, the framing Child Care Aware of America itself uses.