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County childcare costs · DOL NDCP 2022

Childcare costs in District of Columbia, DC

Affordability desert

$25,480 a year for center-based infant care - 25.0% of the local median income, against a national average of $9,592.

All District of Columbia counties Rankings Methodology

The going rate for center-based infant care in District of Columbia, DC is $25,480/year, while family childcare is $20,800/year, per the U.S. Department of Labor's National Database of Childcare Prices (NDCP). This represents 25.0% of the median household income - exceeding the HHS 7% affordability threshold. Toddler care at a center costs $23,431/year, and preschool-age care is $20,410/year.

$25,480
Center Infant/yr
$20,800
Family Infant/yr
$101,722
Median Income
25.0%
% of Income (Infant)

NDCP county market brief

District of Columbia, DC sticker posture in this snapshot

Entity-varying stamps from DOL NDCP county medians and ACS income burden, not a clone nationwide scaffold.

  1. PEAK NDCP sticker band
  2. DESERT HHS income share
  3. #2,654 of 2,662 National infant rank
  4. $25,480 Center infant/yr
  5. $20,800 Family infant/yr
  6. Contra Costa County Nearest price peer
  7. 6/8 NDCP cells filled
  8. 2022 Survey vintage

Annual Childcare Costs by Age Group

Age Group Center-Based Family Childcare
Infant $25,480 $20,800
Toddler $23,431 $20,449
Preschool $20,410 $19,149
School Age N/A N/A

Where District of Columbia ranks on infant-care cost

Center-based infant care, every U.S. county with reported prices

$25,480 more affordable than 0% of 2,662 US counties

This county $2,500 $32,500 every U.S. county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $2.5K-wide band; taller bars hold more US counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices · 2022

What These Numbers Mean for District of Columbia Families

Weighed against a $101,722 median household income, District of Columbia's childcare bill tells an affordability story, putting infant center care at 25.0% of gross income. The HHS benchmark is 7%, meaning the typical family here exceeds the federal affordability line by 18.0 points.At over 20% of income, District of Columbia qualifies as an affordability desert, counties where childcare competes with housing and healthcare for household budget share.

For how to vet a licensed provider (inspection reports, QRIS ratings, CCDF subsidy intake), see Choosing Quality Childcare. Rate methodology: how these numbers are computed.

Historical Price Trends (2008–2022)

3 years of federal survey data (2011–2022) show how center-based infant care has moved.

+72.0% since 2011
Infant center care: $14,817 → $25,480
$25,480/yr
Most recent annual cost (2022)
3 years
Data available (2011–2022)
2011
$14,817
2012
$15,786
2022
$25,480
View full data table (all care types) ▼
Year Ctr Infant
2008 N/A
2009 N/A
2010 N/A
2011 $14,817
2012 $15,786
2013 N/A
2014 N/A
2015 N/A
2016 N/A
2017 N/A
2018 N/A
2019 N/A
2020 N/A
2021 N/A
2022 $25,480

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices (2022); median household income: U.S. Census ACS. See methodology for how costs and affordability are computed.

Disclaimer: informational only, not professional advice. See full disclaimer.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Verify with DOL Women's Bureau NDCP →  ·  Verify with U.S. Census ACS →  ·  Verify with HUD →

PlainChildcare is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau National Database of Childcare Prices and Census ACS income data, no number is typed in by an editor. County childcare prices and affordability ratios are computed from NDCP and ACS records for this county. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026. Primary sources: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP and U.S. Census Bureau ACS.