The cost of child care services in the United States is now as expensive, and sometimes even more expensive, than rent, new data showed.
It is no secret that child care costs are straining many households across the US, especially since there have been shortages in slots and childcare workers. However, new federal numbers from the Department of Labor showed just how steep the costs are during the inflation.
On average, families spent anywhere between $6,552 and $15,600 for full-day care for one child in 2022, the most recent year for which data is available. Part-day care for school-aged children was also nearly as expensive, with prices ranging between $5,943 and $9,211, the labor department's data showed.
For perspective, the annual median rent in 2022 was $15,216.
How Much Do Families Spend on Child Care?
To afford child care, US households spend between 8.9% and 16.0% of their median income for full-day care and between 8.1% to 9.4% of their income for part-day care.
It was noted by the labor department that child care costs can still be even more expensive based on the age of the child, the county's population size, and whether the services are being offered in a child care center or at home.
Read Also: Over 1 Million Parents Shorten Work Hours, Lose $1,500 in Income Amid US Childcare Crisis
Where Are Child Care Costs the Cheapest and Most Expensive?
Overall, home-based preschool care in small counties with a population of one to 99,000 people was the most affordable for full-day care. In those areas, the annual price of child care for one child was $6,552.
On the other hand, the most expensive full-day care services were for infants in child care centers in counties with a population of more than a million people. There, the annual price of care for one child was $15,600.
For part-day care services, families of school-aged children receiving home-based child care in counties with a population of up to 99,999 people spend the least, paying $5,943 annually.
That said, home-based part-day care for school-aged children is also the most expensive in counties with a population of over one million. The cost of care in those places was $9,211 annually.
