Cheapest Childcare in Montana
Counties ranked by lowest center-based infant care cost
Ranked by reported cost only, not a quality, safety, or licensing rating. Verify licensing and inspection history directly with providers or Montana's Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agency before choosing care.
Counties with Cheapest Childcare
| # | County | Infant Care |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniels County | $10,225/yr |
| 2 | Toole County | $10,721/yr |
| 3 | Glacier County | $10,786/yr |
| 4 | Deer Lodge County | $10,814/yr |
| 5 | Meagher County | $10,847/yr |
| 6 | Judith Basin County | $10,853/yr |
| 7 | Valley County | $10,883/yr |
| 8 | Fergus County | $10,890/yr |
| 9 | Roosevelt County | $10,900/yr |
| 10 | Hill County | $10,957/yr |
| 11 | Carter County | $10,992/yr |
| 12 | Granite County | $11,039/yr |
| 13 | Beaverhead County | $11,053/yr |
| 14 | McCone County | $11,071/yr |
| 15 | Richland County | $11,100/yr |
| 16 | Chouteau County | $11,100/yr |
| 17 | Sanders County | $11,114/yr |
| 18 | Petroleum County | $11,163/yr |
| 19 | Garfield County | $11,189/yr |
| 20 | Lewis and Clark County | $11,228/yr |
| 21 | Silver Bow County | $11,241/yr |
| 22 | Phillips County | $11,245/yr |
| 23 | Park County | $11,246/yr |
| 24 | Blaine County | $11,258/yr |
| 25 | Sweet Grass County | $11,262/yr |
| 26 | Powell County | $11,273/yr |
| 27 | Pondera County | $11,319/yr |
| 28 | Big Horn County | $11,331/yr |
| 29 | Liberty County | $11,347/yr |
| 30 | Missoula County | $11,363/yr |
| 31 | Rosebud County | $11,390/yr |
| 32 | Mineral County | $11,428/yr |
| 33 | Cascade County | $11,445/yr |
| 34 | Carbon County | $11,473/yr |
| 35 | Broadwater County | $11,482/yr |
| 36 | Wheatland County | $11,495/yr |
| 37 | Flathead County | $11,547/yr |
| 38 | Golden Valley County | $11,617/yr |
| 39 | Prairie County | $11,646/yr |
| 40 | Lincoln County | $11,651/yr |
| 41 | Ravalli County | $11,716/yr |
| 42 | Dawson County | $11,728/yr |
| 43 | Lake County | $11,733/yr |
| 44 | Yellowstone County | $11,788/yr |
| 45 | Jefferson County | $11,893/yr |
| 46 | Powder River County | $11,923/yr |
| 47 | Sheridan County | $12,003/yr |
| 48 | Stillwater County | $12,202/yr |
| 49 | Fallon County | $12,203/yr |
| 50 | Madison County | $12,264/yr |
Narrow floor gap inside Montana
Signature read: the #1 county is only 11% below the Montana infant average — a narrow in-state floor gap. Lowest listed center infant price: Daniels County at $10,225/year vs $11,466/year state average. Toddler $10,751/year · preschool $9,147/year in the same county.
All 50 priced Montana counties on this board are sorted by center infant price (NDCP). Ranked by reported cost only — not quality, safety, or licensing.
Methodology
Counties sorted by lowest center-based infant care cost from DOL Women's Bureau NDCP (2022). Vs-state column uses Montana average $11,466/year.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau National Database of Childcare Prices (NDCP) · 2022
DOL Women's Bureau NDCP · Montana cheapest-county board, 2022
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.