Child care cost the most in these states in 2024, analysis found

President Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' moves to Senate

President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' moves to the Senate. House Republicans were thrilled after passing Trump's tax bill by a single vote. Senate Majority Leader John Thune can afford to lose three Republican senators to pass Trump's bill.

A nonprofit advocacy group released findings from a recent analysis of child care costs and affordability across the United States. 

Cost of child care in America

By the numbers:

ChildCare Aware of America found the national average price of child care for 2024 was $13,128. 

Dig deeper:

It would take 10% of the median income of a married couple with children to afford this national average price, and 35% of a single parent’s. 

FILE - Classroom for young children. Getty Images

Big picture view:

For context, financial planners commonly recommend spending no more than 30% of income on housing, which means child care costs could cost as much as rent or a mortgage for some couples or individuals. 

In fact, CCAoA’s analysis found in 45 states plus the District of Columbia, the average annual price of child care for two children in a center exceeded annual mortgage payments in some cases up to 78%. 

Local perspective:

In three out of four U.S. regions, the average price of care for two children exceeded average housing costs, with the exception being in the West. 

Child care costs by state

Most expensive states:

A married couple with children living in these states spent the highest percentage of their median income on child care: 

• California (16% of median income, $22,628) 
• Oregon (16% of median income, $19,500)
• Maryland (16% of median income, $25,321) 
• Washington (15% of median income, $21,348)
• Nebraska (15% of median income, $18,147) 
• Massachusetts (15% of median income, $26,343) 

Least expensive states:

A married couple with children living in these states spent the lowest percentage of their median income on child care: 

• Mississippi (7% of median income, $7,696) 
• South Dakota (7% of median income, $8,632) 
• Alabama (8% of median income, $8,632) 
• Arkansas (9% of median income, $9,178) 
• South Carolina (9% of median income, $10,474) 
• Georgia (9% of median income, $11,066) 
• North Dakota (9% of median income, $12,299) 

Trump child care costs

Watch: Trump's answer on fixing child care crisis

FILE (SEPT. 2024) - At an Economic Club of New York forum in September of 2024, Donald Trump was asked while campaigning for his second presidency what he would do about the child care crisis. Economists and activists later called his answer an "incoherent word salad" and "incomprehensible at best.'

President Donald Trump has said he plans to make child care more affordable to ease the burden on families, but has been vague on his plans. 

Included in his so-called "big beautiful bill," which passed the House last week, is a temporary $500 increase in the child tax credit, bringing it to $2,500 for 2025 through 2028. 

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