Avg Infant (Center)
$6,498 /yr
Across 82 Mississippi counties
Statewide childcare costs · DOL NDCP 2022
Childcare costs in Mississippi
According to PlainChildcare's state ranking (DOL NDCP county averages), Mississippi ranks #2 of 45 jurisdictions by average center-based infant care price (cheapest = #1).
Data updated 2026-09-24
- $6,498
- Avg infant (center)
- -32%
- Vs. national avg
- #2 of 45
- Corpus placement
NDCP state market brief
Mississippi statewide sticker posture
- PRICE QUIET vs national NDCP mean
- AVG $6,498 Center infant avg
- SPREAD $2,325 County min–max gap
- RANK #2 of 45 National state rank
- COUNT 82 Reporting counties
- MIN $5,721 Cheapest county
- MAX $8,046 Priciest county
- PHOTO Georgia Nearest avg peer
Avg-infant peers
Avg Toddler (Center)
$5,956 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Avg Preschool (Center)
$5,804 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Infant cost spread
$5,721 – $8,046
Lowest to highest county
Mississippi center-based childcare averages by age
Annual cost averaged across all reporting counties. Source: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP 2022.
Where Mississippi ranks on infant-care cost
Average center-based infant care, every U.S. state with reported prices
$6,498 Among the most affordable more affordable than 96% 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
Mississippi infant care vs. HHS 7%-of-income affordability ceiling 40.6%
HHS 7% threshold
Bar shows Mississippi 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 Mississippi, starting at $5,721/yr
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Most Expensive Childcare
Counties with the highest infant care costs in Mississippi, up to $8,046/yr
Childcare Landscape Across Mississippi
Across Mississippi's 82 counties with NDCP price coverage, center-based infant care averages $6,498/year (QUIET vs the national mean), toddler $5,956/year, preschool $5,804/year. The age-based cost curve is unusually flat in Mississippi - infant care runs only 12% above preschool, a narrower spread than most states. County stickers run $5,721 to $8,046 (Δ $2,325/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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | $6,067 | $5,522 | $5,522 | 16.3% |
| Alcorn County | $6,055 | $5,511 | $5,511 | 12.7% |
| Amite County | $6,082 | $5,536 | $5,536 | 17.4% |
| Attala County | $6,139 | $5,587 | $5,587 | 14.4% |
| Benton County | $8,019 | $7,467 | $6,843 | 20.7% |
| Bolivar County | $6,015 | $5,476 | $5,476 | 15.9% |
| Calhoun County | $6,159 | $5,606 | $5,606 | 13.8% |
| Carroll County | $6,169 | $5,614 | $5,614 | 14.6% |
| Chickasaw County | $6,139 | $5,587 | $5,587 | 15.3% |
| Choctaw County | $6,126 | $5,576 | $5,576 | 14.6% |
| Claiborne County | $6,067 | $5,523 | $5,523 | 17.7% |
| Clarke County | $6,093 | $5,546 | $5,546 | 13.2% |
| Clay County | $5,991 | $5,454 | $5,454 | 16.0% |
| Coahoma County | $6,085 | $5,539 | $5,539 | 16.9% |
| Copiah County | $7,932 | $7,388 | $6,764 | 16.9% |
| Covington County | $7,923 | $7,380 | $6,756 | 19.7% |
| DeSoto County | $7,564 | $7,057 | $6,433 | 9.5% |
| Forrest County | $7,731 | $7,208 | $6,584 | 15.7% |
| Franklin County | $6,143 | $5,591 | $5,591 | 14.0% |
| George County | $6,021 | $5,481 | $5,481 | 11.7% |
| Greene County | $6,112 | $5,562 | $5,562 | 12.2% |
| Grenada County | $6,054 | $5,511 | $5,511 | 13.2% |
| Hancock County | $7,758 | $7,232 | $6,608 | 12.2% |
| Harrison County | $7,693 | $7,173 | $6,549 | 13.9% |
| Hinds County | $7,674 | $7,156 | $6,532 | 15.8% |
| Holmes County | $8,046 | $7,491 | $6,867 | 27.9% |
| Humphreys County | $6,158 | $5,605 | $5,605 | 19.3% |
| Issaquena County | $6,190 | $5,633 | $5,633 | 34.6% |
| Itawamba County | $6,064 | $5,520 | $5,520 | 10.6% |
| Jackson County | $7,715 | $7,193 | $6,569 | 12.8% |
| Jasper County | $6,031 | $5,491 | $5,491 | 13.7% |
| Jefferson County | $6,152 | $5,599 | $5,599 | 19.5% |
| Jefferson Davis County | $6,102 | $5,554 | $5,554 | 16.7% |
| Jones County | $6,042 | $5,501 | $5,501 | 12.2% |
| Kemper County | $6,190 | $5,633 | $5,633 | 14.4% |
| Lafayette County | $5,721 | $5,211 | $5,211 | 9.6% |
| Lamar County | $7,583 | $7,075 | $6,451 | 11.2% |
| Lauderdale County | $5,965 | $5,431 | $5,431 | 13.1% |
| Lawrence County | $6,012 | $5,473 | $5,473 | 14.6% |
| Leake County | $6,106 | $5,558 | $5,558 | 13.1% |
| Lee County | $5,943 | $5,411 | $5,411 | 9.2% |
| Leflore County | $6,090 | $5,544 | $5,544 | 18.4% |
| Lincoln County | $6,037 | $5,495 | $5,495 | 12.8% |
| Lowndes County | $5,886 | $5,360 | $5,360 | 11.0% |
| Madison County | $7,541 | $7,036 | $6,412 | 9.5% |
| Marion County | $6,077 | $5,532 | $5,532 | 15.8% |
| Marshall County | $7,929 | $7,386 | $6,762 | 15.4% |
| Monroe County | $6,098 | $5,550 | $5,550 | 11.9% |
| Montgomery County | $6,141 | $5,589 | $5,589 | 16.7% |
| Neshoba County | $6,088 | $5,542 | $5,542 | 12.8% |
| Newton County | $6,062 | $5,518 | $5,518 | 12.3% |
| Noxubee County | $6,126 | $5,576 | $5,576 | 14.5% |
| Oktibbeha County | $5,810 | $5,292 | $5,292 | 13.5% |
| Panola County | $6,035 | $5,494 | $5,494 | 12.6% |
| Pearl River County | $5,983 | $5,446 | $5,446 | 11.0% |
| Perry County | $7,957 | $7,411 | $6,787 | 16.5% |
| Pike County | $6,058 | $5,515 | $5,515 | 15.1% |
| Pontotoc County | $6,044 | $5,502 | $5,502 | 11.1% |
| Prentiss County | $6,109 | $5,560 | $5,560 | 11.8% |
| Quitman County | $6,116 | $5,567 | $5,567 | 19.6% |
| Rankin County | $7,554 | $7,048 | $6,424 | 9.9% |
| Scott County | $6,071 | $5,527 | $5,527 | 13.5% |
| Sharkey County | $6,122 | $5,572 | $5,572 | 14.9% |
| Simpson County | $7,925 | $7,382 | $6,758 | 15.6% |
| Smith County | $6,126 | $5,575 | $5,575 | 11.8% |
| Stone County | $7,898 | $7,357 | $6,733 | 14.1% |
| Sunflower County | $6,105 | $5,557 | $5,557 | 16.3% |
| Tallahatchie County | $6,190 | $5,633 | $5,633 | 17.5% |
| Tate County | $7,870 | $7,333 | $6,709 | 12.8% |
| Tippah County | $6,146 | $5,594 | $5,594 | 12.8% |
| Tishomingo County | $6,158 | $5,605 | $5,605 | 13.5% |
| Tunica County | $7,828 | $7,295 | $6,671 | 18.8% |
| Union County | $6,026 | $5,486 | $5,486 | 10.8% |
| Walthall County | $6,135 | $5,584 | $5,584 | 16.5% |
| Warren County | $5,953 | $5,420 | $5,420 | 11.0% |
| Washington County | $6,019 | $5,480 | $5,480 | 15.7% |
| Wayne County | $6,171 | $5,617 | $5,617 | 17.7% |
| Webster County | $6,145 | $5,593 | $5,593 | 11.0% |
| Wilkinson County | $6,190 | $5,633 | $5,633 | 17.7% |
| Winston County | $6,037 | $5,496 | $5,496 | 13.3% |
| Yalobusha County | $6,174 | $5,619 | $5,619 | 13.1% |
| Yazoo County | $7,980 | $7,432 | $6,808 | 19.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Mississippi rank on childcare costs nationally?
Mississippi's average center-based infant care ($6,498/yr) is cheaper than 96% of the 45 U.S. states with reported NDCP prices (national rank #2 of 45, cheapest = #1).
Is childcare more or less expensive in Mississippi than the national average?
Mississippi's average infant care price runs 32% below the national NDCP average ($9,592/yr) - a QUIET band in this site's sticker scale.
Does childcare cost vary a lot within Mississippi?
Yes - Mississippi's 82 reporting counties range from $5,721 to $8,046/yr for infant care, a $2,325 spread.
How does childcare cost change by child age in Mississippi?
The age-based cost curve is unusually flat in Mississippi - infant care runs only 12% above preschool, a narrower spread than most states.
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.