Childcare Affordability Deserts
Counties where center-based infant care costs exceed 20% of median household income, based on childcare price data and U.S. Census median-income figures across all 50 states. The HHS considers childcare affordable at 7% of income — these counties are nearly 3x that threshold.
351
Desert Counties
of 2,662 total
15.2%
Avg Cost Burden
national average
35.7%
Worst Burden
7%
HHS Threshold
affordable benchmark
Counties with Highest Cost Burden
| # | County | Infant Cost | % of Income |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piute County | $11,895 | 35.7% |
| 2 | Suffolk County | $30,680 | 35% |
| 3 | Issaquena County | $6,190 | 34.6% |
| 4 | Bronx County | $15,600 | 33.2% |
| 5 | Humboldt County | $19,044 | 32.9% |
| 6 | Knox County | $16,161 | 32.2% |
| 7 | Fresno County | $21,611 | 31.9% |
| 8 | Pacific County | $18,580 | 31.6% |
| 9 | Athens County | $15,340 | 31.5% |
| 10 | Grays Harbor County | $18,580 | 31.4% |
| 11 | Wahkiakum County | $18,580 | 31.4% |
| 12 | Apache County | $11,700 | 31.2% |
| 13 | Stearns County | $22,395 | 30.6% |
| 14 | Jackson County | $13,734 | 30.6% |
| 15 | Huerfano County | $14,825 | 29.9% |
| 16 | Inyo County | $18,765 | 29.6% |
| 17 | Jefferson County | $15,340 | 28.9% |
| 18 | San Miguel County | $20,961 | 28.8% |
| 19 | Kern County | $18,337 | 28.7% |
| 20 | Jefferson County | $18,580 | 28.7% |
| 21 | Trumbull County | $15,340 | 28.7% |
| 22 | Yuba County | $18,987 | 28.5% |
| 23 | Clallam County | $18,580 | 28.1% |
| 24 | Holmes County | $8,046 | 27.9% |
| 25 | Klickitat County | $18,580 | 27.9% |
| 26 | Butte County | $18,410 | 27.9% |
| 27 | Marion County | $15,340 | 27.8% |
| 28 | Monroe County | $15,340 | 27.7% |
| 29 | Lewis County | $18,580 | 27.6% |
| 30 | McDowell County | $7,788 | 27.6% |
| 31 | Costilla County | $9,521 | 27.5% |
| 32 | Belmont County | $15,340 | 26.9% |
| 33 | Richmond City | $16,037 | 26.9% |
| 34 | Lucas County | $15,340 | 26.8% |
| 35 | Estill County | $10,603 | 26.5% |
| 36 | Prairie County | $11,646 | 26.4% |
| 37 | Powell County | $10,126 | 26.4% |
| 38 | Champaign County | $16,092 | 26.3% |
| 39 | Lane County | $17,131 | 26.3% |
| 40 | Glacier County | $10,786 | 26.3% |
| 41 | Cowlitz County | $18,580 | 26.2% |
| 42 | Lincoln County | $11,651 | 26.1% |
| 43 | Denver County | $22,357 | 26% |
| 44 | Brooks County | $7,956 | 26% |
| 45 | Ramsey County | $20,280 | 26% |
| 46 | San Bernardino County | $19,981 | 25.8% |
| 47 | Hampden County | $17,160 | 25.8% |
| 48 | Milwaukee County | $15,236 | 25.7% |
| 49 | Wayne County | $13,734 | 25.7% |
| 50 | Sitka City and Borough | $24,413 | 25.6% |
| 51 | Siskiyou County | $13,802 | 25.6% |
| 52 | Cuyahoga County | $15,340 | 25.5% |
| 53 | Santa Barbara County | $23,532 | 25.5% |
| 54 | Essex County | $24,001 | 25.4% |
| 55 | Coos County | $13,992 | 25.3% |
| 56 | Multnomah County | $21,168 | 25.3% |
| 57 | Fairbanks North Star Borough | $20,551 | 25.2% |
| 58 | White County | $13,734 | 25.2% |
| 59 | District of Columbia | $25,480 | 25% |
| 60 | Calhoun County | $10,400 | 25% |
| 61 | Whitman County | $12,326 | 25% |
| 62 | Mason County | $18,580 | 25% |
| 63 | Riverside County | $21,043 | 24.9% |
| 64 | Sioux County | $10,215 | 24.8% |
| 65 | Montgomery County | $15,340 | 24.8% |
| 66 | Dimmit County | $6,760 | 24.7% |
| 67 | Trinity County | $11,670 | 24.7% |
| 68 | Berkshire County | $17,160 | 24.6% |
| 69 | San Juan County | $18,868 | 24.6% |
| 70 | Latimer County | $10,469 | 24.5% |
| 71 | Ferry County | $12,326 | 24.4% |
| 72 | Franklin County | $17,160 | 24.4% |
| 73 | Whatcom County | $18,868 | 24.3% |
| 74 | Greenwood County | $11,558 | 24.3% |
| 75 | San Joaquin County | $20,108 | 24.3% |
| 76 | Benton County | $17,690 | 24.3% |
| 77 | Esmeralda County | $9,858 | 24.2% |
| 78 | Josephine County | $13,582 | 24.2% |
| 79 | Emporia City | $10,028 | 24.2% |
| 80 | Lake County | $13,594 | 24.2% |
| 81 | Ouray County | $18,996 | 24.1% |
| 82 | Seminole County | $10,347 | 23.9% |
| 83 | Jackson County | $6,240 | 23.9% |
| 84 | Norfolk County | $28,860 | 23.9% |
| 85 | Cumberland County | $14,891 | 23.9% |
| 86 | Pushmataha County | $10,074 | 23.8% |
| 87 | Wheatland County | $11,495 | 23.8% |
| 88 | McIntosh County | $10,348 | 23.8% |
| 89 | Santa Cruz County | $24,798 | 23.8% |
| 90 | Winnebago County | $14,647 | 23.7% |
| 91 | Manassas Park City | $21,716 | 23.7% |
| 92 | Moffat County | $15,153 | 23.7% |
| 93 | Yolo County | $20,135 | 23.7% |
| 94 | Carter County | $10,992 | 23.6% |
| 95 | Adams County | $20,405 | 23.6% |
| 96 | Liberty County | $11,347 | 23.6% |
| 97 | Park County | $20,077 | 23.6% |
| 98 | Sanders County | $11,114 | 23.6% |
| 99 | El Dorado County | $23,398 | 23.6% |
| 100 | Mendocino County | $14,459 | 23.6% |
Cost Burden by State
Average childcare cost as a percentage of median income. States with higher burden have more families struggling to afford care.
District of Columbia 25%
1 desert counties (100%)
Worst: 25% · 1 counties
Massachusetts 22.5%
10 desert counties (71.4%)
Worst: 35% · 14 counties
Washington 22.4%
27 desert counties (69.2%)
Worst: 31.6% · 39 counties
California 21.9%
37 desert counties (63.8%)
Worst: 32.9% · 58 counties
Arizona 19.5%
5 desert counties (33.3%)
Worst: 31.2% · 15 counties
Montana 19.5%
20 desert counties (35.7%)
Worst: 26.4% · 56 counties
Connecticut 19.4%
4 desert counties (50%)
Worst: 23% · 8 counties
New York 19.4%
26 desert counties (41.9%)
Worst: 33.2% · 62 counties
Oklahoma 19.3%
29 desert counties (37.7%)
Worst: 24.5% · 77 counties
Oregon 19%
11 desert counties (30.6%)
Worst: 26.3% · 36 counties
New Hampshire 18.7%
2 desert counties (20%)
Worst: 25.3% · 10 counties
Ohio 18.4%
27 desert counties (30.7%)
Worst: 31.5% · 88 counties
Illinois 18.2%
16 desert counties (27.6%)
Worst: 32.2% · 58 counties
Maine 18.1%
2 desert counties (12.5%)
Worst: 23% · 16 counties
Alaska 18%
2 desert counties (25%)
Worst: 25.6% · 8 counties
Colorado 17.8%
19 desert counties (30.6%)
Worst: 29.9% · 62 counties
West Virginia 17.7%
12 desert counties (21.8%)
Worst: 27.6% · 55 counties
Rhode Island 17.1%
1 desert counties (20%)
Worst: 20.7% · 5 counties
Hawaii 17%
No desert counties
Worst: 19.1% · 4 counties
New Jersey 16.9%
4 desert counties (19%)
Worst: 23.9% · 21 counties
Utah 16.8%
5 desert counties (17.2%)
Worst: 35.7% · 29 counties
Maryland 16.7%
4 desert counties (16.7%)
Worst: 22.4% · 24 counties
Florida 16.5%
5 desert counties (9.4%)
Worst: 25% · 53 counties
North Carolina 16.5%
12 desert counties (12.1%)
Worst: 23.1% · 99 counties
Wisconsin 16.5%
7 desert counties (9.7%)
Worst: 25.7% · 72 counties
Minnesota 16.1%
9 desert counties (10.3%)
Worst: 30.6% · 87 counties
North Dakota 15.8%
2 desert counties (3.8%)
Worst: 24.8% · 53 counties
Nebraska 15.8%
3 desert counties (3.2%)
Worst: 22.5% · 93 counties
Virginia 15%
11 desert counties (8.2%)
Worst: 26.9% · 134 counties
Nevada 14.8%
3 desert counties (17.6%)
Worst: 24.2% · 17 counties
Louisiana 14.7%
3 desert counties (4.7%)
Worst: 22% · 64 counties
Mississippi 14.7%
3 desert counties (3.7%)
Worst: 34.6% · 82 counties
Delaware 14.4%
No desert counties
Worst: 17.1% · 3 counties
South Carolina 14.2%
1 desert counties (2.2%)
Worst: 24.3% · 46 counties
Tennessee 14.2%
6 desert counties (6.3%)
Worst: 22.9% · 95 counties
Alabama 14%
6 desert counties (9%)
Worst: 22.7% · 67 counties
Kentucky 13.8%
7 desert counties (5.8%)
Worst: 26.5% · 120 counties
Texas 12.7%
6 desert counties (2.4%)
Worst: 26% · 254 counties
Iowa 12.5%
No desert counties
Worst: 15.9% · 99 counties
Michigan 12.3%
No desert counties
Worst: 19.7% · 83 counties
Wyoming 11.9%
1 desert counties (4.8%)
Worst: 21.5% · 21 counties
Georgia 11.8%
1 desert counties (0.6%)
Worst: 22.9% · 159 counties
Idaho 11.8%
No desert counties
Worst: 17.7% · 44 counties
South Dakota 10.8%
1 desert counties (1.5%)
Worst: 23.9% · 66 counties
Kansas 9.5%
No desert counties
Worst: 18.3% · 105 counties
About Affordability Deserts
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) defines childcare as "affordable" when it costs no more than 7% of a family's income. In practice, most American families spend far more.
We flag counties as "affordability deserts" when center-based infant care exceeds 20% of median household income — nearly 3x the HHS benchmark. These are areas where families face extreme financial pressure to access childcare.
- <10% — Relatively affordable
- 10-20% — Moderate cost burden
- >20% — Affordability desert
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau — National Database of Childcare Prices (2022). Costs are annual center-based infant care. Income is county median household income U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau — National Database of Childcare Prices (2022). Costs are annual center-based infant care. Income is county median household income