Childcare costs in McDowell County, WV
$7,788 a year for center-based infant care - 27.6% of the local median income, against a national average of $9,592.
Center-based infant care in McDowell County, WV costs $7,788/year, while family childcare is $6,675/year, per the U.S. Department of Labor's National Database of Childcare Prices (NDCP). This represents 27.6% of the median household income - exceeding the HHS 7% affordability threshold. Toddler care at a center costs $7,343/year, and preschool-age care is $7,120/year.
- $7,788
- Center Infant/yr
- $6,675
- Family Infant/yr
- $28,235
- Median Income
- 27.6%
- % of Income (Infant)
NDCP county market brief
McDowell County, WV sticker posture in this snapshot
Entity-varying stamps from DOL NDCP county medians and ACS income burden, not a clone nationwide scaffold.
- MID NDCP sticker band
- DESERT HHS income share
- #974 of 2,662 National infant rank
- $7,788 Center infant/yr
- $6,675 Family infant/yr
- Cherokee County Nearest price peer
- 8/8 NDCP cells filled
- 2022 Survey vintage
Infant-price neighbourhood
Nearest ABS(center_infant) peers in WV (NDCP 2022).
Annual Childcare Costs by Age Group
| Age Group | Center-Based | Family Childcare |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $7,788 | $6,675 |
| Toddler | $7,343 | $6,675 |
| Preschool | $7,120 | $6,675 |
| School Age | $6,675 | $6,675 |
Where McDowell County ranks on infant-care cost
Center-based infant care, every U.S. county with reported prices
$7,788 Among the most affordable more affordable than 63% 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 McDowell County
Complete NDCP ladder under a DESERT income burden (27.6% of ACS median) - compare center premiums before treating sticker alone as the story.
| Age | Center | Family | Center premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $7,788 | $6,675 | +$1,113 (+16.7%) |
| Toddler | $7,343 | $6,675 | +$668 (+10%) |
| Preschool | $7,120 | $6,675 | +$445 (+6.7%) |
| School Age | $6,675 | $6,675 | +$0 (+0%) |
Across all four ages, a center path totals $28,926/year versus $26,700/year for family care ($2,226 more at a center). Infant center care runs 1.17× school-age center care here. Among the 55West Virginia counties with a complete NDCP ladder, McDowell County ranks #3 by infant center price (1 = cheapest).
What These Numbers Mean for McDowell County Families
Weighed against a $28,235 median household income, McDowell County's childcare bill tells an affordability story, putting infant center care at 27.6% of gross income. Against the federal 7% affordability benchmark, the typical family here exceeds the federal affordability line by 20.6 points.At over 20% of income, McDowell County 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)
The NDCP has tracked center-based infant care here for 15 years, from 2008 through 2022.
View full data table (all care types) ▼
| Year | Ctr Infant |
|---|---|
| 2008 | $4,701 |
| 2009 | $4,749 |
| 2010 | $4,797 |
| 2011 | $4,845 |
| 2012 | $5,534 |
| 2013 | $5,606 |
| 2014 | $5,678 |
| 2015 | $5,750 |
| 2016 | $5,780 |
| 2017 | $5,809 |
| 2018 | $5,840 |
| 2019 | $6,814 |
| 2020 | $7,788 |
| 2021 | $8,763 |
| 2022 | $7,788 |
Nearest infant-price counties in West Virginia
Ordered by ABS(center_infant) to McDowell County's MID NDCP sticker - not A-Z chrome.
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.