Avg Infant (Center)
$11,722 /yr
Across 87 Minnesota counties
Statewide childcare costs · DOL NDCP 2022
Childcare costs in Minnesota
According to PlainChildcare's state ranking (DOL NDCP county averages), Minnesota ranks #28 of 45 jurisdictions by average center-based infant care price (cheapest = #1).
Data updated 2026-09-24
- $11,722
- Avg infant (center)
- +22%
- Vs. national avg
- #28 of 45
- Corpus placement
NDCP state market brief
Minnesota statewide sticker posture
- PRICE HIGH vs national NDCP mean
- AVG $11,722 Center infant avg
- SPREAD $13,711 County min–max gap
- RANK #28 of 45 National state rank
- COUNT 87 Reporting counties
- MIN $8,684 Cheapest county
- MAX $22,395 Priciest county
- PHOTO Ohio Nearest avg peer
Avg-infant peers
Avg Toddler (Center)
$10,737 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Avg Preschool (Center)
$9,850 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Infant cost spread
$8,684 – $22,395
Lowest to highest county
Minnesota center-based childcare averages by age
Annual cost averaged across all reporting counties. Source: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP 2022.
Where Minnesota ranks on infant-care cost
Average center-based infant care, every U.S. state with reported prices
$11,722 more affordable than 38% 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
Minnesota infant care vs. HHS 7%-of-income affordability ceiling 73.3%
HHS 7% threshold
Bar shows Minnesota 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 Minnesota, starting at $8,684/yr
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Most Expensive Childcare
Counties with the highest infant care costs in Minnesota, up to $22,395/yr
Childcare Landscape Across Minnesota
Across Minnesota's 87 counties with NDCP price coverage, center-based infant care averages $11,722/year (HIGH vs the national mean), toddler $10,737/year, preschool $9,850/year. Costs step down gradually with age here, tracking the typical national pattern where lower infant staffing ratios drive early-years pricing higher. County stickers run $8,684 to $22,395 (Δ $13,711/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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aitkin County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 16.1% |
| Anoka County | $20,280 | $18,073 | $16,068 | 21.2% |
| Becker County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 16.0% |
| Beltrami County | $13,260 | $11,839 | $11,111 | 21.3% |
| Benton County | $12,844 | $11,353 | $10,695 | 18.3% |
| Big Stone County | $9,246 | $8,466 | $7,894 | 14.7% |
| Blue Earth County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 15.5% |
| Brown County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 13.6% |
| Carlton County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 14.7% |
| Carver County | $20,280 | $18,073 | $16,068 | 17.4% |
| Cass County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 14.7% |
| Chippewa County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 14.7% |
| Chisago County | $12,203 | $11,050 | $10,435 | 12.5% |
| Clay County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 14.6% |
| Clearwater County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 18.2% |
| Cook County | $12,844 | $11,353 | $10,695 | 17.9% |
| Cottonwood County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 14.3% |
| Crow Wing County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 16.6% |
| Dakota County | $20,280 | $18,073 | $16,068 | 20.0% |
| Dodge County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 11.8% |
| Douglas County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 15.1% |
| Faribault County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 14.2% |
| Fillmore County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 12.4% |
| Freeborn County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 16.7% |
| Goodhue County | $12,844 | $11,353 | $10,695 | 16.4% |
| Grant County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 16.2% |
| Hennepin County | $20,280 | $18,073 | $16,068 | 21.9% |
| Houston County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 15.9% |
| Hubbard County | $12,844 | $11,353 | $10,695 | 19.1% |
| Isanti County | $12,203 | $11,050 | $10,435 | 14.5% |
| Itasca County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 17.8% |
| Jackson County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 13.3% |
| Kanabec County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 16.5% |
| Kandiyohi County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 15.0% |
| Kittson County | $8,684 | $7,887 | $7,228 | 13.2% |
| Koochiching County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 19.1% |
| Lac qui Parle County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 13.6% |
| Lake County | $12,844 | $11,353 | $10,695 | 17.4% |
| Lake of the Woods County | $13,260 | $11,839 | $11,111 | 21.5% |
| Le Sueur County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 10.4% |
| Lincoln County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 17.6% |
| Lyon County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 16.5% |
| Mahnomen County | $9,246 | $8,466 | $7,894 | 17.5% |
| Marshall County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 16.4% |
| Martin County | $13,260 | $11,839 | $11,111 | 21.5% |
| McLeod County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 15.0% |
| Meeker County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 14.5% |
| Mille Lacs County | $12,844 | $11,353 | $10,695 | 18.9% |
| Morrison County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 13.7% |
| Mower County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 16.4% |
| Murray County | $8,684 | $7,887 | $7,228 | 12.1% |
| Nicollet County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 14.4% |
| Nobles County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 18.1% |
| Norman County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 17.4% |
| Olmsted County | $20,280 | $18,073 | $16,068 | 22.4% |
| Otter Tail County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 16.7% |
| Pennington County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 15.9% |
| Pine County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 16.9% |
| Pipestone County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 13.3% |
| Polk County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 16.4% |
| Pope County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 15.4% |
| Ramsey County | $20,280 | $18,073 | $16,068 | 26.0% |
| Red Lake County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 12.3% |
| Redwood County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 13.9% |
| Renville County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 13.7% |
| Rice County | $12,844 | $11,353 | $10,695 | 16.4% |
| Rock County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 12.1% |
| Roseau County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 15.6% |
| Scott County | $20,280 | $18,073 | $16,068 | 17.1% |
| Sherburne County | $12,203 | $11,050 | $10,435 | 12.3% |
| Sibley County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 12.2% |
| St. Louis County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 16.5% |
| Stearns County | $22,395 | $19,850 | $17,507 | 30.6% |
| Steele County | $12,203 | $11,050 | $10,435 | 15.3% |
| Stevens County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 13.0% |
| Swift County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 15.6% |
| Todd County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 14.4% |
| Traverse County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 14.3% |
| Wabasha County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 14.6% |
| Wadena County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 16.6% |
| Waseca County | $11,388 | $10,729 | $9,863 | 15.8% |
| Washington County | $20,280 | $18,073 | $16,068 | 18.3% |
| Watonwan County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 14.0% |
| Wilkin County | $9,100 | $8,372 | $7,644 | 13.6% |
| Winona County | $10,972 | $10,244 | $9,447 | 16.6% |
| Wright County | $12,844 | $11,353 | $10,695 | 12.5% |
| Yellow Medicine County | $10,331 | $9,941 | $9,187 | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Minnesota rank on childcare costs nationally?
Minnesota's average center-based infant care ($11,722/yr) is cheaper than only 38% of the 45 U.S. states with reported NDCP prices (national rank #28 of 45, cheapest = #1).
Is childcare more or less expensive in Minnesota than the national average?
Minnesota's average infant care price runs 22% above the national NDCP average ($9,592/yr) - a HIGH band in this site's sticker scale.
Does childcare cost vary a lot within Minnesota?
Yes - Minnesota's 87 reporting counties range from $8,684 to $22,395/yr for infant care, a $13,711 spread.
How does childcare cost change by child age in Minnesota?
Costs step down gradually with age here, tracking the typical national pattern where lower infant staffing ratios drive early-years pricing higher.
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.