State Rankings: Most Affordable Childcare by Center and Family in 2022

Findings

Alabama: low incomes push center care over the affordability line

Across Alabama's 67 counties, the state median household income is about $51,690 (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2022). Center-based infant care averages $6,896 a year statewide, and preschool-age center care averages $6,348 (U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022). At those levels, infant care alone runs to roughly 13% of the state median income, well above the 7% that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services treats as affordable. Even in higher-income counties the math is tight: in Autauga County, where the median household income is about $68,315, family-based infant care of $7,058 a year still sits near a tenth of income. See the full county breakdown on the Alabama state page.

• Alabama center infant: $6,896/yr average across 67 counties (DOL NDCP, 2022).
• Alabama center preschool: $6,348/yr average.
• Autauga County: family infant care $7,058/yr against a $68,315 median income.

Center vs. family: family care is usually, but not always, cheaper

Comparing the two settings across states shows why a simple "family care is cheaper" rule breaks down. In Alabama, family-based infant care in Autauga County ($7,058) lands close to the statewide center average ($6,896), so the family discount is small. In Alaska it flips: family toddler care averages about $14,453 a year, more than some center options and far above school-age center care at roughly $5,794. The age of the child matters as much as the setting: school-age care (before- and after-school) is consistently the cheapest tier because it covers fewer hours, while infant care is the most expensive in both settings.

• Alaska family toddler: about $14,453/yr across 8 reporting counties.
• Alaska school-age center: about $5,794/yr, the lowest tier.
• Across states, infant care is the costliest age group; school-age the cheapest.

Alaska: high prices, but higher incomes soften the burden

Alaska reports some of the highest sticker prices in the country: center infant care averages about $15,925 a year across its 8 reporting counties, reaching as high as $24,413 in the most expensive areas, with preschool center care averaging $13,479. But Alaska's median household income, about $88,120, is among the highest of any state. Measured as a share of income rather than in raw dollars, infant care in Alaska (around 18% of the median) is a heavier burden than Alabama's (around 13%), which shows why affordability rankings should always be read against local incomes, not just headline prices. The Alaska state page carries the county-level detail.

• Alaska center infant: about $15,925/yr average, up to $24,413 in the priciest counties.
• Alaska center preschool: about $13,479/yr.
• Median household income about $88,120, among the highest nationally.

For the full state-by-state picture, see the rankings hub and the counties flagged as affordability deserts.

Coverage and limitations

These figures come from the U.S. Department of Labor's National Database of Childcare Prices (latest release, reference-year 2022), which compiles market-rate prices reported by licensed providers, cross-referenced with U.S. Census Bureau median-income figures. The NDCP is an annual release, so the numbers reflect 2022 conditions and do not capture more recent price changes. Coverage skews toward states and counties with robust licensing systems; rural counties with few licensed providers, and informal or unlicensed family care, may be underrepresented or absent. The HHS 7%-of-income benchmark is a single national standard and does not adjust for local cost of living. Finally, these averages do not account for subsidies, sibling discounts, or part-time schedules, all of which can lower what a family actually pays, so the figures are best read as a comparison of market rates, not of out-of-pocket cost.