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Cheapest Childcare States

Ranked by average annual infant center-based childcare cost. Lower is cheaper.

Top 15 cheapest states for infant childcare

DOL Women's Bureau, average annual center-based infant care cost

  1. 1
    Kansas $5,783
  2. 2
    Mississippi $6,498
  3. 3
    Georgia $6,591
  4. 4
    South Dakota $6,595
  5. 5
    Alabama $6,896
  6. 6
    Kentucky $7,238
  7. 7
    Idaho $7,315
  8. 8
    Louisiana $7,396
  9. 9
    Michigan $7,444
  10. 10
    Texas $7,566
  11. 11
    South Carolina $7,732
  12. 12
    Tennessee $7,860
  13. 13
    Iowa $8,306
  14. 14
    Wyoming $8,502
  15. 15
    West Virginia $8,974

Source DOL Women's Bureau, National Database of Childcare Prices

The bar to make this list

Annual infant center-based childcare cost across all 45 ranked states

$8,974 Among the most affordable more affordable than 67% of 45 US states

$4,000–$6,000: 1 US states (2%). Below this entry. $6,000–$8,000: 11 US states (24%). Below this entry. $8,000–$10,000: 5 US states (11%). This entry sits in this band. $10,000–$12,000: 13 US states (29%). Above this entry. $12,000–$14,000: 4 US states (9%). Above this entry. $14,000–$16,000: 7 US states (16%). Above this entry. $16,000–$18,000: 2 US states (4%). Above this entry. $18,000–$20,000: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. $20,000–$22,000: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. $22,000–$24,000: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. $24,000–$26,000: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. #15 cutoff $4,000 $26,000 every ranked state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $2K-wide band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source DOL Women's Bureau, National Database of Childcare Prices

# State Infant (Center) Toddler (Center) Preschool (Center)
1 Kansas $5,783/yr $5,711/yr $5,533/yr
2 Mississippi $6,498/yr $5,956/yr $5,804/yr
3 Georgia $6,591/yr $6,153/yr $6,034/yr
4 South Dakota $6,595/yr $6,595/yr $6,212/yr
5 Alabama $6,896/yr $6,716/yr $6,348/yr
6 Kentucky $7,238/yr $6,605/yr $6,605/yr
7 Idaho $7,315/yr $7,002/yr $6,437/yr
8 Louisiana $7,396/yr $7,237/yr $7,111/yr
9 Michigan $7,444/yr $7,636/yr $7,221/yr
10 Texas $7,566/yr $7,109/yr $6,926/yr
11 South Carolina $7,732/yr $7,449/yr $7,402/yr
12 Tennessee $7,860/yr $6,190/yr $6,190/yr
13 Iowa $8,306/yr $7,157/yr $7,157/yr
14 Wyoming $8,502/yr $7,656/yr $7,689/yr
15 West Virginia $8,974/yr $8,493/yr $8,470/yr
16 North Carolina $9,487/yr $7,856/yr $6,548/yr
17 Nebraska $9,863/yr $9,338/yr $8,545/yr
18 Nevada $10,033/yr $8,666/yr $8,309/yr
19 Virginia $10,407/yr $8,169/yr $7,975/yr
20 Florida $10,505/yr $8,611/yr $7,983/yr
21 Oklahoma $10,666/yr $9,220/yr $9,220/yr
22 North Dakota $10,925/yr $9,978/yr $9,249/yr
23 Delaware $11,172/yr $8,273/yr $8,657/yr
24 Wisconsin $11,256/yr $10,203/yr $10,203/yr
25 Arizona $11,301/yr $8,667/yr $8,667/yr
26 Maine $11,325/yr $10,451/yr $9,566/yr
27 Montana $11,466/yr $11,929/yr $10,243/yr
28 Minnesota $11,722/yr $10,737/yr $9,850/yr
29 Ohio $11,791/yr $10,686/yr $9,394/yr
30 Utah $11,828/yr $9,645/yr $8,778/yr
31 Illinois $12,257/yr $10,556/yr $9,481/yr
32 Oregon $12,639/yr $11,605/yr $9,385/yr
33 Colorado $12,821/yr $11,897/yr $11,013/yr
34 New York $13,869/yr $12,979/yr $11,679/yr
35 Maryland $14,631/yr $10,631/yr $10,631/yr
36 New Hampshire $14,934/yr $14,160/yr $12,415/yr
37 Hawaii $15,330/yr $10,845/yr $10,845/yr
38 Rhode Island $15,433/yr $14,883/yr $13,066/yr
39 New Jersey $15,732/yr $15,377/yr $15,377/yr
40 Alaska $15,925/yr $14,453/yr $13,479/yr
41 Washington $15,987/yr $12,531/yr $12,531/yr
42 Connecticut $17,127/yr $17,127/yr $13,559/yr
43 California $17,920/yr $12,300/yr $11,385/yr
44 Massachusetts $20,571/yr $18,516/yr $14,656/yr
45 District of Columbia $25,480/yr $23,431/yr $20,410/yr

Source: DOL Women's Bureau, National Database of Childcare Prices