County childcare costs · DOL NDCP 2022
Childcare costs in Washington County, CO
The standout signal in Washington County, CO is the center–family premium: center infant care costs $-88/yr more than family care (narrow premium tercile) beside a $9,688 center sticker.
Data updated 2026-09-24
- $9,688
- Center Infant/yr
- $9,776
- Family Infant/yr
- $59,087
- Median Income
- 16.4%
- % of Income (Infant)
The verdict
Washington County pairs the 43rd percentile for infant-care affordability nationally with a moderate income burden on families.
- 43rd pct.
- affordability nationally
- Moderate
- income-burden tier
- Narrow
- family-vs-infant price gap
- #1,521
- of 2,661 priced counties
A center-based childcare affordability composite (infant, preschool, and school-age price burden relative to local median income) plus poverty rate, benchmarked against every other tracked county nationally. Not a rating of childcare quality, safety, or availability. Dimensions with no data on file are excluded and their weight redistributed, never counted as zero.
National sticker context: $9,593 average.
The going rate for center-based infant care in Washington County, CO is $9,688/year, while family childcare is $9,776/year, based on National Database of Childcare Prices survey data from the U.S. Department of Labor. This represents 16.4% of the median household income, exceeding the HHS 7% affordability threshold. Toddler care at a center costs $15,694/year.
Annual childcare costs by age in Washington County
| Age Group | Center-Based | Family Childcare |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $9,688 | $9,776 |
| Toddler | $15,694 | $9,025 |
| Preschool | $15,322 | $9,025 |
| School Age | $7,306 | $9,022 |
Where Washington County ranks on infant-care cost
Center-based infant care, every U.S. county with reported prices
$9,688 more affordable than 43% of 2,661 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
Washington County vs. every other Colorado county: income vs. infant-care cost
Median household income (x) vs. average center-based infant care (y) across 30 Colorado counties with reported prices. Crosshairs at the Colorado median.
Within Colorado, Washington County has lower income and lower infant-care cost than the typical Colorado county (its national standing, the 43rd percentile for infant-care affordability nationally, is a separate comparison against every U.S. county, not just its own state).
Full NDCP Care Ladder in Washington County
Every age×setting NDCP cell is reported here (PAR / HEAVY · mid-price), center premium and age-step are county-specific.
| Age | Center | Family | Center premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $9,688 | $9,776 | $-88 (-0.9%) |
| Toddler | $15,694 | $9,025 | +$6,669 (+73.9%) |
| Preschool | $15,322 | $9,025 | +$6,297 (+69.8%) |
| School Age | $7,306 | $9,022 | $-1,716 (-19%) |
Across all four ages, a center path totals $48,010/year versus $36,848/year for family care ($11,162 more at a center). Infant center care runs 1.33× school-age center care here. Among the 62Colorado counties with a complete NDCP ladder, Washington County ranks #24 by infant center price (1 = cheapest).
Washington County premium reading
The standout signal in Washington County, CO is the center–family premium: center infant care costs $-88/yr more than family care (narrow premium tercile) beside a $9,688 center sticker.
Mid-burden tercile: Washington County spends 16.4% of a $59,087 median on infant center care (HEAVY). Pair the PAR sticker with the age-group table before treating any single cell as the household story.
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 3 years, from 2014 through 2022.
View full data table (all care types) ▼
| Year | Ctr Infant |
|---|---|
| 2008 | N/A |
| 2009 | N/A |
| 2010 | N/A |
| 2011 | N/A |
| 2012 | N/A |
| 2013 | N/A |
| 2014 | $6,779 |
| 2015 | $7,142 |
| 2016 | N/A |
| 2017 | N/A |
| 2018 | N/A |
| 2019 | N/A |
| 2020 | N/A |
| 2021 | N/A |
| 2022 | $9,688 |
Nearest infant-price counties in Colorado
Ordered by ABS(center_infant) to Washington County's PAR NDCP sticker - not A-Z chrome.
What to do with Washington County
Infant center care here runs 16.4% of the local median income (HEAVY), check where your own household lands.
- Washington County spends 16.4% of median income on infant center care, above the HHS 7%-of-income affordability line. See exactly where your own household income lands. Affordability calculator
- $9,688/yr center infant sticker (PAR) - see how Washington County compares against the full national ladder. National rankings
- If care is straining the budget, federal and state programs (CCDF, Head Start) can cut it sharply. Check whether Washington County families are likely eligible. Check subsidy eligibility
Figures are NDCP county-level survey medians for 2022 - your local providers set the actual price.