Childcare costs in Mercer County, KY
$10,126 a year for center-based infant care - 16.7% of the local median income, against a national average of $9,592.
The going rate for center-based infant care in Mercer County, KY is $10,126/year, while family childcare is $7,765/year, based on National Database of Childcare Prices survey data from the U.S. Department of Labor. This represents 16.7% of the median household income - exceeding the HHS 7% affordability threshold. Toddler care at a center costs $8,666/year, and preschool-age care is $8,666/year.
- $10,126
- Center Infant/yr
- $7,765
- Family Infant/yr
- $60,728
- Median Income
- 16.7%
- % of Income (Infant)
NDCP county market brief
Mercer County, KY sticker posture in this snapshot
Entity-varying stamps from DOL NDCP county medians and ACS income burden, not a clone nationwide scaffold.
- PAR NDCP sticker band
- HEAVY HHS income share
- #1,682 of 2,662 National infant rank
- $10,126 Center infant/yr
- $7,765 Family infant/yr
- Powell County Nearest price peer
- 8/8 NDCP cells filled
- 2022 Survey vintage
Infant-price neighbourhood
Nearest ABS(center_infant) peers in KY (NDCP 2022).
Annual Childcare Costs by Age Group
| Age Group | Center-Based | Family Childcare |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $10,126 | $7,765 |
| Toddler | $8,666 | $8,018 |
| Preschool | $8,666 | $8,018 |
| School Age | $7,551 | $6,620 |
Where Mercer County ranks on infant-care cost
Center-based infant care, every U.S. county with reported prices
$10,126 more affordable than 37% 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 Mercer County
Complete NDCP ladder under a HEAVY income burden (16.7% of ACS median) - compare center premiums before treating sticker alone as the story.
| Age | Center | Family | Center premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $10,126 | $7,765 | +$2,361 (+30.4%) |
| Toddler | $8,666 | $8,018 | +$648 (+8.1%) |
| Preschool | $8,666 | $8,018 | +$648 (+8.1%) |
| School Age | $7,551 | $6,620 | +$931 (+14.1%) |
Across all four ages, a center path totals $35,009/year versus $30,421/year for family care ($4,588 more at a center). Infant center care runs 1.34× school-age center care here. Among the 120Kentucky counties with a complete NDCP ladder, Mercer County ranks #103 by infant center price (1 = cheapest).
What These Numbers Mean for Mercer County Families
Household affordability in Mercer County tracks against a median income of $60,728, putting infant center care at 16.7% of gross income. Against the federal 7% affordability benchmark, the typical family here exceeds the federal affordability line by 9.7 points.Between 15-20% of income, Mercer County sits in a high-burden tier where most working families need subsidy help or split shifts to cover care.
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 | $5,683 |
| 2009 | $6,073 |
| 2010 | $6,464 |
| 2011 | $6,854 |
| 2012 | $6,680 |
| 2013 | $6,507 |
| 2014 | $6,504 |
| 2015 | $6,500 |
| 2016 | $6,500 |
| 2017 | $6,500 |
| 2018 | $7,225 |
| 2019 | $7,950 |
| 2020 | $8,676 |
| 2021 | $9,401 |
| 2022 | $10,126 |
Nearest infant-price counties in Kentucky
Ordered by ABS(center_infant) to Mercer County's PAR 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.