2025 Childcare Costs by State

This hub ranks center-based childcare prices for all 50 states and Washington, DC using a 2025 price-year table compiled from Child Care Aware of America and Economic Policy Institute lineage. Each row shows annual infant care, preschool (4-year-old) center care, and how infant cost compares to state median family income.

District of Columbia leads on sticker price at $28,356 for infant center care; Mississippi is lowest at $6,868. Rankings by dollar cost and by share of income can diverge because median wages differ—open a state profile for both views.

Use the table and compare tool when evaluating relocation offers, dual-income budgets, or how much of a paycheck center care might consume alongside housing and taxes.

Infant annual is a full-time center slot for an infant. Preschool annual is center-based care for a 4-year-old. Monthly figures on state pages are annual ÷12 rounded—providers may bill weekly or with deposits that differ slightly.

Two-child total adds infant plus preschool annual costs as a simple illustration of staggered ages (not twins). It does not include school-age before/after care, nannies, or family child care homes.

Percent-of-income uses published infant share values and derived two-child shares from the same median family income series. Your household income may be above or below the state median, so treat percentages as benchmarks, not personal quotes.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines affordable childcare as costing no more than 7% of family income. In this dataset, infant center care exceeds that cap in every jurisdiction—often by a wide margin.

New Mexico shows the heaviest infant burden at 21% of median family income (affordability rank #1 = least affordable). Even Mississippi, with the lowest infant price, still posts 10% of median income.

State subsidies, Head Start, employer stipends, and expanded free-care pilots can reduce out-of-pocket cost below these market averages. This guide shows market-price benchmarks, not net cost after aid.

A dependent-care flexible spending account lets eligible employees contribute pre-tax dollars toward qualifying work-related care. The federal cap is $5,000 per year ($2,500 if married filing separately). That reduces income tax; it does not change the provider’s listed tuition.

The federal Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit may reimburse part of eligible expenses for qualifying dependents, with percentage and dollar limits that phase down as income rises. Rules differ from the Child Tax Credit—this hub does not compute either credit.

Some states add dependent-care credits or sliding-scale subsidies. Layer those on after you estimate gross tuition from the state table, then talk with a tax professional or your HR benefits team for enrollment deadlines.