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FUYANG, CHINA – JANUARY 30, 2026 – US dollar banknotes captured in Fuyang City, Anhui Province, China on January 30, 2026. (Photo credit should read CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
PENNSYLVANIA – Working parents need childcare, but as costs skyrocket across the United States, the options are becoming even more limited.
By the numbers:
A recent study states that the average annual cost of childcare for an infant and a 4-year-old in the U.S. is currently $28,190.
Childcare is considered affordable when a household spends only 7% of its income, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
In order to meet both standards, a household needs to earn an average of $403,708 a year — which is 176.5% higher than the average income of a family with two kids.
Local perspective:
That gap becomes even wider when costs are broken down by state, with Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware ranking above the national average.
Pennsylvania was named the 28th highest with a 177.1% difference:
Average childcare costs for an infant and 4-year-old: $27,363Income needed to comfortably afford childcare: $390,900Average income for households with two kids: $141,060
New Jersey’s difference was slightly higher at 180.4%, making it the 24th highest:
Average childcare costs for an infant and 4-year-old: $37,716Income needed to comfortably afford childcare: $538,800Average income for households with two kids: $192,156
Delaware ranked even closer to the top, landing 16th on the list with a 214.3% difference:
Average childcare costs for an infant and 4-year-old: $29,835Income needed to comfortably afford childcare: $426,214Average income for households with two kids: $135,610
Big picture view:
Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware’s numbers aren’t even the highest!
Hawaii households need to earn 269.7% more than the average income to afford childcare, followed closely by Nebraska at 263% and Montana at 257.8%.
Families in South Dakota come the closest to affording child care, but still need 95.4% more than the state’s average income.
Tips to afford childcare
What you can do:
Experts say families have several tools and strategies they can use to help make childcare more affordable:
Ask your employer about childcare-related benefitsResearch federal, state and local assistance programs, such as universal pre-K and the Child and Dependent Care Tax CreditCompare alternative care, like nanny shares, co-ops and part-time preschool slotsAdjust schedules to reduce total hours in careAsk about payment flexibility, sibling discounts or sliding-scale fees
The Source: Information for this article was provided by LendingTree.