Daycare Cost by State 2026: Average Annual Infant Care Prices

Daycare is one of the largest expenses American families face, often rivaling or exceeding the cost of housing. How much you pay depends heavily on where you live: the average cost of infant care ranges from under $7,000 a year in Mississippi to more than $28,000 a year in Washington, D.C.

This guide compiles the average annual cost of infant center-based daycare for all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, drawn from published data compiled by the Economic Policy Institute and Child Care Aware of America. These are statewide averages; your actual cost varies by metro area, provider, and your child's age.

National Average Daycare Cost

According to Child Care Aware of America's most recent Price and Supply analysis, the national average price of child care was about $13,128 per year. Infant care, the most expensive category, runs higher in most states because of the low staff-to-child ratios infants require.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services benchmark for affordability is 7 percent of household income. In most states, infant care far exceeds that threshold, consuming 15 to 25 percent of a typical family's income.

Planning your childcare budget? The Working Parent Planning Kit bundles 23 tools for $29: live-formula budget spreadsheets, all-50-states cost lookup, the dependent care FSA and tax credit calculator, subsidy navigator, and daycare negotiation scripts. Instant download, 30-day money-back guarantee.

Average Annual Infant Daycare Cost by State

The table below ranks states by the average annual cost of center-based infant care. Figures are compiled by the Economic Policy Institute and Child Care Aware of America (data from 2023 to 2024).

Rank	State	Avg. Annual Infant Care	Monthly Estimate
1	District of Columbia	$28,356	$2,363
2	Massachusetts	$26,709	$2,226
3	Minnesota	$22,569	$1,881
4	California	$21,945	$1,829
5	Colorado	$21,840	$1,820
6	Hawaii	$21,167	$1,764
7	Alaska	$20,943	$1,745
8	Washington	$20,677	$1,723
9	Connecticut	$20,254	$1,688
10	Oregon	$19,064	$1,589
11	Maryland	$18,946	$1,579
12	Vermont	$18,836	$1,570
13	New Jersey	$18,155	$1,513
14	New Hampshire	$17,364	$1,447
15	New York	$17,361	$1,447
16	Ohio	$17,071	$1,423
17	Wisconsin	$16,956	$1,413
18	Rhode Island	$16,758	$1,397
19	Delaware	$16,220	$1,352
20	Illinois	$16,107	$1,342
21	Nevada	$15,950	$1,329
22	Arizona	$15,625	$1,302
23	Indiana	$14,471	$1,206
24	Virginia	$14,277	$1,190
25	New Mexico	$14,244	$1,187
26	Nebraska	$14,106	$1,176
27	Pennsylvania	$13,354	$1,113
28	Maine	$13,310	$1,109
29	Missouri	$13,173	$1,098
30	Utah	$13,094	$1,091
31	Florida	$13,021	$1,085
32	Montana	$12,778	$1,065
33	Oklahoma	$12,468	$1,039
34	North Dakota	$12,373	$1,031
35	Tennessee	$12,249	$1,021
36	Georgia	$11,863	$989
37	North Carolina	$11,720	$977
38	South Carolina	$11,512	$959
39	Texas	$10,706	$892
40	Michigan	$10,023	$835
41	West Virginia	$9,692	$808
42	Idaho	$9,630	$803
43	Iowa	$9,605	$800
44	Wyoming	$9,327	$777
45	Kansas	$9,105	$759
46	Arkansas	$8,873	$739
47	Louisiana	$8,873	$739
48	Kentucky	$8,756	$730
49	South Dakota	$8,680	$723
50	Alabama	$7,871	$656
51	Mississippi	$6,868	$572

Source: Economic Policy Institute and Child Care Aware of America (2023 to 2024 data). Figures are statewide averages for center-based infant care; monthly estimates are the annual figure divided by 12. Actual prices vary by metro area, provider, and program quality.

Why Daycare Costs Vary So Much by State

Several factors drive the wide gap between states:

• Cost of living. High-wage, high-rent metros like D.C., Boston, and the Bay Area push provider costs and tuition up.
• Staff-to-child ratios. States with stricter infant ratios require more staff per child, which raises costs.
• Minimum wage and labor markets. Higher local wages for childcare workers translate to higher tuition.
• Regulation and quality standards. States with more rigorous licensing and quality requirements tend to have higher prices.

How to Lower Your Daycare Costs

Even in expensive states, families can cut the net cost of care:

• Dependent Care FSA. Set aside up to $5,000 per year pre-tax through your employer to pay for childcare.
• Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit. Claim 20 to 35 percent of up to $3,000 (one child) or $6,000 (two or more) in care expenses.
• State child care subsidies. Families below income thresholds may qualify for help through the Child Care and Development Fund; apply through your state agency or childcareaware.org.
• Family child care homes. Home-based care is typically less expensive than center-based care.
• Nanny share or part-time care. Splitting a nanny with another family or using part-time care can dramatically reduce costs.

Key Takeaways

• Infant daycare ranges from about $6,900/year (Mississippi) to over $28,000/year (Washington, D.C.).
• The national average price of child care is roughly $13,128 per year.
• Infant care costs more than toddler or preschool care because of lower required ratios.
• These are statewide averages; your local cost varies by metro area and provider.
• Tax benefits and subsidies can cut your net cost by thousands per year.

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Related guides you may find helpful:

• How Much Does Child Care Cost? Complete Breakdown
• Child Care Ratios by State 2026
• Child Care Tax Credit Guide
• Nanny Cost Guide

What every centre asks you to bring

Whatever else changes between programmes, the supply list barely does. These four turn up on nearly every one.

Best Nap Mat

Makemake Organics Organic Cotton Nap Mat

~$98

GOTS-certified with a removable, machine-washable cover, which is what decides whether a mat survives a year of daily use.

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Best Backpack

Skip Hop Sparks Kid's Backpack

$31

Sized for a preschooler rather than a school-age child, so it actually fits a classroom cubby.

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Best Lunch Box

Yumbox Original Leakproof Bento Lunch Box

$34

Leakproof compartments a small child can open unaided, which is the whole test for a daycare lunch.

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Best Labels

Name Bubbles Custom Name Labels (95 Labels)

~$43

Ninety-five waterproof labels in six sizes. Every centre requires everything named, and this covers a full year.

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The purchases that actually move the budget

Wipes and labels are noise. These four are where the money in the first two years genuinely goes, and each one is bought roughly once.

Biggest Single Purchase

Graco 4Ever DLX 4-in-1 Car Seat

$320

Converts from rear-facing infant seat through to a booster, so it is bought once instead of three times. The single largest line on most first-year budgets.

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Pays For Itself

Spectra S2 Plus Electric Breast Pump

$220

Hospital-grade and quiet enough to use at a desk. Worth pricing against formula before you assume it is an expense rather than a saving.

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Best Monitor

Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO Video Monitor

$200

A dedicated parent unit with no app and no account, so there is nothing to hack and nothing for a sitter to configure.

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Best Play Yard

Toddleroo 3-in-1 Metal Superyard

~$170

Turns any room into a safe space you can leave a toddler in, which is the difference between working from home and not.

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