Childcare costs in Howard County, TX
$8,060 a year for center-based infant care - 12.0% of the local median income, against a national average of $9,592.
The going rate for center-based infant care in Howard County, TX is $8,060/year, while family childcare is $7,176/year, based on National Database of Childcare Prices survey data from the U.S. Department of Labor. This represents 12.0% of the median household income - exceeding the HHS 7% affordability threshold. Toddler care at a center costs $7,488/year, and preschool-age care is $7,280/year.
Howard County vs. the nation
According to PlainChildcare's center-based infant-care ranking (DOL NDCP priced counties), Howard County, TX ranks #1,087 of 2,662 U.S. counties by annual center infant price (cheapest = #1). Center-based infant care costs $8,060 a year in Howard County, TX, coming in 16% below the nationwide average of $9,592 - cheaper than 59% of the 2,662 U.S. counties we track, and that bill eats 12.0% of the local median income against the 7% the federal government calls affordable.
- Infant care (center)
- $8,060/yr
- Vs. national avg
- -16%
- Corpus placement
- #1,087 of 2,662
- Share of income
- 12.0%
Source: DOL National Database of Childcare Prices (2022). Median income: U.S. Census ACS 5-year.
- $8,060
- Center Infant/yr
- $7,176
- Family Infant/yr
- $67,243
- Median Income
- 12.0%
- % of Income (Infant)
Annual Childcare Costs by Age Group
| Age Group | Center-Based | Family Childcare |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $8,060 | $7,176 |
| Toddler | $7,488 | $6,812 |
| Preschool | $7,280 | $6,708 |
| School Age | $6,864 | $6,344 |
Cost Comparison (Center-Based)
Where Howard County ranks on infant-care cost
Center-based infant care, every U.S. county with reported prices
$8,060 more affordable than 59% of 2,662 US counties
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
Full NDCP Care Ladder in Howard County
This county reports every age×setting cell in the DOL NDCP survey. That lets us compare the center premium over family care at each age, and how steeply costs fall from infant to school-age.
| Age | Center | Family | Center premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $8,060 | $7,176 | +$884 (+12.3%) |
| Toddler | $7,488 | $6,812 | +$676 (+9.9%) |
| Preschool | $7,280 | $6,708 | +$572 (+8.5%) |
| School Age | $6,864 | $6,344 | +$520 (+8.2%) |
Across all four ages, a center path totals $29,692/year versus $27,040/year for family care ($2,652 more at a center). Infant center care runs 1.17× school-age center care here. Among the 254Texas counties with a complete NDCP ladder, Howard County ranks #194 by infant center price (1 = cheapest).
What These Numbers Mean for Howard County Families
Howard County's median household income of $67,243 sets the bar for what counts as affordable care here, putting infant center care at 12.0% of gross income. HHS draws the affordability line at 7% of income, and the typical local family exceeds the federal affordability line by 5.0 points.Howard County families generally find care more manageable than the national picture, though waitlists at licensed providers remain the real bottleneck.
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)
The NDCP has tracked center-based infant care here for 14 years, from 2009 through 2022.
View full data table (all care types) ▼
| Year | Ctr Infant |
|---|---|
| 2008 | N/A |
| 2009 | $4,742 |
| 2010 | $5,039 |
| 2011 | $5,335 |
| 2012 | $5,632 |
| 2013 | $6,050 |
| 2014 | $6,297 |
| 2015 | $6,279 |
| 2016 | $6,412 |
| 2017 | $6,872 |
| 2018 | $8,073 |
| 2019 | $8,203 |
| 2020 | $8,333 |
| 2021 | $8,684 |
| 2022 | $8,060 |
What this means for Howard County families
Infant center care here takes 12.0% of the typical household income - above the HHS 7% affordability line.
- At 12.0% of income, infant care exceeds the federal 7% affordability benchmark. Check whether your family qualifies for a CCDF subsidy, which can cap copayments at a sliding share of income. Check subsidy eligibility
- Family childcare homes run $7,176/year for infants, about $884 less than a center. Weigh the trade-offs of each setting. Center vs. home care
- See how Howard County compares against the cheapest counties in Texas. Cheapest in Texas
NDCP figures are county-level survey medians for 2022, confirm current tuition and openings directly with providers and your state CCR&R agency.