Avg Infant (Center)
$7,238 /yr
Across 120 Kentucky counties
Statewide childcare costs · DOL NDCP 2022
Childcare costs in Kentucky
According to PlainChildcare's state ranking (DOL NDCP county averages), Kentucky ranks #6 of 45 jurisdictions by average center-based infant care price (cheapest = #1).
Data updated 2026-09-24
- $7,238
- Avg infant (center)
- -25%
- Vs. national avg
- #6 of 45
- Corpus placement
NDCP state market brief
Kentucky statewide sticker posture
- PRICE MID vs national NDCP mean
- AVG $7,238 Center infant avg
- SPREAD $6,851 County min–max gap
- RANK #6 of 45 National state rank
- COUNT 120 Reporting counties
- MIN $4,704 Cheapest county
- MAX $11,555 Priciest county
- PHOTO Idaho Nearest avg peer
Avg-infant peers
Avg Toddler (Center)
$6,605 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Avg Preschool (Center)
$6,605 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Infant cost spread
$4,704 – $11,555
Lowest to highest county
Kentucky center-based childcare averages by age
Annual cost averaged across all reporting counties. Source: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP 2022.
Where Kentucky ranks on infant-care cost
Average center-based infant care, every U.S. state with reported prices
$7,238 Among the most affordable more affordable than 87% of 45 US states
Each bar is a $2.5K-wide band; taller bars hold more US states. 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 · 2026-09-24
Kentucky infant care vs. HHS 7%-of-income affordability ceiling 45.2%
HHS 7% threshold
Bar shows Kentucky infant care as a share of an $80,000 reference household income. The dark marker shows the HHS 7% threshold, anything past it is officially "unaffordable" by federal definition.
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Cheapest Childcare
Counties with the lowest infant care costs in Kentucky, starting at $4,704/yr
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Most Expensive Childcare
Counties with the highest infant care costs in Kentucky, up to $11,555/yr
Childcare Landscape Across Kentucky
Across Kentucky's 120 counties with NDCP price coverage, center-based infant care averages $7,238/year (MID vs the national mean), toddler $6,605/year, preschool $6,605/year. Unusually, Kentucky's toddler rate runs at or below its preschool rate, a reversal of the pattern most states show where cost eases as children age. County stickers run $4,704 to $11,555 (Δ $6,851/yr). Licensing ratios and background checks are uniform statewide; density and subsidy acceptance are not - use the county table and Read-with drills below, not a clone licensing essay.
Counties
| County | Infant /yr | Toddler /yr | Preschool /yr | % of income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adair County | $5,001 | $4,601 | $4,601 | 10.1% |
| Allen County | $7,388 | $6,989 | $6,989 | 12.9% |
| Anderson County | $7,868 | $6,858 | $6,858 | 11.3% |
| Ballard County | $6,642 | $6,242 | $6,242 | 11.6% |
| Barren County | $6,511 | $5,962 | $5,962 | 13.5% |
| Bath County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 11.5% |
| Bell County | $5,224 | $4,848 | $4,848 | 15.5% |
| Boone County | $10,342 | $8,834 | $8,834 | 11.3% |
| Bourbon County | $10,182 | $8,695 | $8,695 | 18.7% |
| Boyd County | $5,586 | $5,571 | $5,571 | 9.6% |
| Boyle County | $9,433 | $7,973 | $7,973 | 16.7% |
| Bracken County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 9.8% |
| Breathitt County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 15.4% |
| Breckinridge County | $8,789 | $7,735 | $7,735 | 17.0% |
| Bullitt County | $7,868 | $6,858 | $6,858 | 10.6% |
| Butler County | $7,388 | $6,989 | $6,989 | 15.5% |
| Caldwell County | $6,309 | $5,932 | $5,932 | 12.0% |
| Calloway County | $5,789 | $5,239 | $5,239 | 12.0% |
| Campbell County | $10,342 | $8,834 | $8,834 | 14.4% |
| Carlisle County | $6,642 | $6,242 | $6,242 | 12.5% |
| Carroll County | $11,048 | $9,389 | $9,389 | 21.8% |
| Carter County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 12.5% |
| Casey County | $5,001 | $4,601 | $4,601 | 11.9% |
| Christian County | $5,789 | $5,239 | $5,239 | 11.8% |
| Clark County | $9,433 | $7,973 | $7,973 | 15.2% |
| Clay County | $5,521 | $5,121 | $5,121 | 14.6% |
| Clinton County | $5,001 | $4,601 | $4,601 | 12.1% |
| Crittenden County | $6,642 | $6,242 | $6,242 | 14.5% |
| Cumberland County | $5,001 | $4,601 | $4,601 | 12.3% |
| Daviess County | $6,511 | $5,962 | $5,962 | 10.2% |
| Edmonson County | $7,388 | $6,989 | $6,989 | 13.9% |
| Elliott County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 14.9% |
| Estill County | $10,603 | $9,083 | $9,083 | 26.5% |
| Fayette County | $9,584 | $8,104 | $8,104 | 14.5% |
| Fleming County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 12.6% |
| Floyd County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 15.2% |
| Franklin County | $7,001 | $6,165 | $6,165 | 11.1% |
| Fulton County | $6,309 | $5,932 | $5,932 | 17.8% |
| Gallatin County | $11,555 | $9,829 | $9,829 | 19.7% |
| Garrard County | $10,603 | $9,083 | $9,083 | 18.2% |
| Grant County | $11,048 | $9,389 | $9,389 | 16.9% |
| Graves County | $5,789 | $5,239 | $5,239 | 11.0% |
| Grayson County | $8,789 | $7,735 | $7,735 | 18.7% |
| Green County | $5,001 | $4,601 | $4,601 | 13.0% |
| Greenup County | $5,586 | $5,571 | $5,571 | 9.5% |
| Hancock County | $7,388 | $6,989 | $6,989 | 10.8% |
| Hardin County | $7,868 | $6,685 | $6,685 | 12.3% |
| Harlan County | $5,224 | $4,848 | $4,848 | 14.9% |
| Harrison County | $11,048 | $9,389 | $9,389 | 18.8% |
| Hart County | $7,388 | $6,989 | $6,989 | 16.2% |
| Henderson County | $6,511 | $5,962 | $5,962 | 11.4% |
| Henry County | $8,269 | $7,215 | $7,215 | 14.2% |
| Hickman County | $6,642 | $6,242 | $6,242 | 9.7% |
| Hopkins County | $6,309 | $5,932 | $5,932 | 11.6% |
| Jackson County | $5,521 | $5,121 | $5,121 | 14.3% |
| Jefferson County | $11,236 | $9,564 | $9,564 | 16.9% |
| Jessamine County | $9,433 | $7,973 | $7,973 | 13.5% |
| Johnson County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 13.3% |
| Kenton County | $10,342 | $8,834 | $8,834 | 13.6% |
| Knott County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 15.4% |
| Knox County | $5,224 | $4,848 | $4,848 | 15.3% |
| Larue County | $8,789 | $7,735 | $7,735 | 15.2% |
| Laurel County | $5,224 | $4,848 | $4,848 | 9.7% |
| Lawrence County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 13.9% |
| Lee County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 18.6% |
| Leslie County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 15.9% |
| Letcher County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 15.3% |
| Lewis County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 16.1% |
| Lincoln County | $10,603 | $9,083 | $9,083 | 21.4% |
| Livingston County | $6,642 | $6,242 | $6,242 | 11.8% |
| Logan County | $7,388 | $6,989 | $6,989 | 12.5% |
| Lyon County | $6,642 | $6,242 | $6,242 | 10.4% |
| Madison County | $9,433 | $7,973 | $7,973 | 15.8% |
| Magoffin County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 18.5% |
| Marion County | $8,789 | $7,735 | $7,735 | 17.7% |
| Marshall County | $6,642 | $6,242 | $6,242 | 10.3% |
| Martin County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 13.0% |
| Mason County | $5,586 | $5,571 | $5,571 | 11.5% |
| McCracken County | $5,789 | $5,239 | $5,239 | 9.9% |
| McCreary County | $5,001 | $4,601 | $4,601 | 14.3% |
| McLean County | $7,388 | $6,989 | $6,989 | 11.5% |
| Meade County | $8,789 | $7,735 | $7,735 | 12.8% |
| Menifee County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 13.5% |
| Mercer County | $10,126 | $8,666 | $8,666 | 16.7% |
| Metcalfe County | $7,388 | $6,989 | $6,989 | 15.7% |
| Monroe County | $7,388 | $6,989 | $6,989 | 15.6% |
| Montgomery County | $5,586 | $5,571 | $5,571 | 10.5% |
| Morgan County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 12.8% |
| Muhlenberg County | $6,309 | $5,932 | $5,932 | 12.4% |
| Nelson County | $8,388 | $7,378 | $7,378 | 12.7% |
| Nicholas County | $11,555 | $9,829 | $9,829 | 20.1% |
| Ohio County | $7,388 | $6,989 | $6,989 | 14.1% |
| Oldham County | $7,868 | $6,858 | $6,858 | 6.7% |
| Owen County | $11,555 | $9,829 | $9,829 | 20.5% |
| Owsley County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 17.9% |
| Pendleton County | $11,555 | $9,829 | $9,829 | 19.7% |
| Perry County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 13.0% |
| Pike County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 14.3% |
| Powell County | $10,126 | $8,666 | $8,666 | 26.4% |
| Pulaski County | $5,423 | $4,989 | $4,989 | 11.1% |
| Robertson County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 11.0% |
| Rockcastle County | $5,521 | $5,121 | $5,121 | 12.1% |
| Rowan County | $5,586 | $5,571 | $5,571 | 11.2% |
| Russell County | $5,001 | $4,601 | $4,601 | 10.4% |
| Scott County | $11,048 | $9,389 | $9,389 | 13.7% |
| Shelby County | $7,868 | $6,858 | $6,858 | 9.7% |
| Simpson County | $7,031 | $6,655 | $6,655 | 12.6% |
| Spencer County | $8,269 | $7,215 | $7,215 | 8.2% |
| Taylor County | $5,423 | $4,989 | $4,989 | 8.6% |
| Todd County | $6,642 | $6,242 | $6,242 | 11.5% |
| Trigg County | $6,642 | $6,242 | $6,242 | 11.9% |
| Trimble County | $8,269 | $7,215 | $7,215 | 12.4% |
| Union County | $7,031 | $6,655 | $6,655 | 12.1% |
| Warren County | $6,511 | $5,962 | $5,962 | 10.3% |
| Washington County | $8,789 | $7,735 | $7,735 | 13.4% |
| Wayne County | $4,704 | $4,328 | $4,328 | 11.3% |
| Webster County | $7,388 | $6,989 | $6,989 | 13.3% |
| Whitley County | $5,224 | $4,848 | $4,848 | 11.8% |
| Wolfe County | $5,895 | $5,868 | $5,868 | 20.6% |
| Woodford County | $7,868 | $6,858 | $6,858 | 10.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Kentucky rank on childcare costs nationally?
Kentucky's average center-based infant care ($7,238/yr) is cheaper than 87% of the 45 U.S. states with reported NDCP prices (national rank #6 of 45, cheapest = #1).
Is childcare more or less expensive in Kentucky than the national average?
Kentucky's average infant care price runs 25% below the national NDCP average ($9,592/yr) - a MID band in this site's sticker scale.
Does childcare cost vary a lot within Kentucky?
Yes - Kentucky's 120 reporting counties range from $4,704 to $11,555/yr for infant care, a $6,851 spread.
How does childcare cost change by child age in Kentucky?
Unusually, Kentucky's toddler rate runs at or below its preschool rate, a reversal of the pattern most states show where cost eases as children age.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, National Database of Childcare Prices (NDCP). Costs shown are annual estimates
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
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. State averages and county ranks are computed from the NDCP price tables joined to ACS median household income. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 2026. Primary sources: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP and U.S. Census Bureau ACS.