Avg Infant (Center)
$10,666 /yr
Across 77 Oklahoma counties
Statewide childcare costs · DOL NDCP 2022
Childcare costs in Oklahoma
According to PlainChildcare's state ranking (DOL NDCP county averages), Oklahoma ranks #21 of 45 jurisdictions by average center-based infant care price (cheapest = #1).
Data updated 2026-07-05
- $10,666
- Avg infant (center)
- +11%
- Vs. national avg
- #21 of 45
- Corpus placement
NDCP state market brief
Oklahoma statewide sticker posture
- PRICE HIGH vs national NDCP mean
- AVG $10,666 Center infant avg
- SPREAD $2,140 County min–max gap
- RANK #21 of 45 National state rank
- COUNT 77 Reporting counties
- MIN $9,863 Cheapest county
- MAX $12,003 Priciest county
- PHOTO Florida Nearest avg peer
Avg-infant peers
Avg Toddler (Center)
$9,220 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Avg Preschool (Center)
$9,220 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Infant cost spread
$9,863 – $12,003
Lowest to highest county
Oklahoma center-based childcare averages by age
Annual cost averaged across all reporting counties. Source: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP 2022.
Where Oklahoma ranks on infant-care cost
Average center-based infant care, every U.S. state with reported prices
$10,666 more affordable than 53% 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 · 2026-07-05
Oklahoma infant care vs. HHS 7%-of-income affordability ceiling 66.7%
HHS 7% threshold
Bar shows Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma, starting at $9,863/yr
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Most Expensive Childcare
Counties with the highest infant care costs in Oklahoma, up to $12,003/yr
Childcare Landscape Across Oklahoma
Across Oklahoma's 77 counties with NDCP price coverage, center-based infant care averages $10,666/year (HIGH vs the national mean), toddler $9,220/year, preschool $9,220/year. Unusually, Oklahoma'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 $9,863 to $12,003 (Δ $2,140/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 | $9,967 | $8,612 | $8,612 | 22.2% |
| Alfalfa County | $10,627 | $9,187 | $9,187 | 14.2% |
| Atoka County | $10,247 | $8,855 | $8,855 | 20.8% |
| Beaver County | $10,992 | $9,501 | $9,501 | 17.5% |
| Beckham County | $10,657 | $9,214 | $9,214 | 20.7% |
| Blaine County | $10,674 | $9,219 | $9,219 | 18.8% |
| Bryan County | $10,821 | $9,356 | $9,356 | 19.9% |
| Caddo County | $10,288 | $8,889 | $8,889 | 19.6% |
| Canadian County | $12,003 | $10,385 | $10,385 | 14.6% |
| Carter County | $11,003 | $9,513 | $9,513 | 19.5% |
| Cherokee County | $10,540 | $9,112 | $9,112 | 20.1% |
| Choctaw County | $10,083 | $8,713 | $8,713 | 23.3% |
| Cimarron County | $10,177 | $8,793 | $8,793 | 17.8% |
| Cleveland County | $11,468 | $9,925 | $9,925 | 16.0% |
| Coal County | $10,138 | $8,762 | $8,762 | 21.5% |
| Comanche County | $10,864 | $9,398 | $9,398 | 19.0% |
| Cotton County | $10,740 | $9,280 | $9,280 | 17.8% |
| Craig County | $10,912 | $9,431 | $9,431 | 22.7% |
| Creek County | $11,086 | $9,584 | $9,584 | 18.0% |
| Custer County | $10,405 | $9,001 | $9,001 | 17.7% |
| Delaware County | $10,837 | $9,366 | $9,366 | 20.3% |
| Dewey County | $10,904 | $9,425 | $9,425 | 17.8% |
| Ellis County | $10,598 | $9,161 | $9,161 | 18.3% |
| Garfield County | $11,072 | $9,577 | $9,577 | 17.3% |
| Garvin County | $10,690 | $9,238 | $9,238 | 19.9% |
| Grady County | $11,105 | $9,598 | $9,598 | 14.9% |
| Grant County | $10,687 | $9,240 | $9,240 | 18.1% |
| Greer County | $10,233 | $8,839 | $8,839 | 18.5% |
| Harmon County | $10,995 | $9,499 | $9,499 | 19.7% |
| Harper County | $10,728 | $9,274 | $9,274 | 17.9% |
| Haskell County | $10,377 | $8,966 | $8,966 | 22.4% |
| Hughes County | $10,025 | $8,663 | $8,663 | 22.4% |
| Jackson County | $10,923 | $9,443 | $9,443 | 17.9% |
| Jefferson County | $10,119 | $8,741 | $8,741 | 20.9% |
| Johnston County | $10,302 | $8,901 | $8,901 | 21.3% |
| Kay County | $10,618 | $9,178 | $9,178 | 19.8% |
| Kingfisher County | $11,226 | $9,705 | $9,705 | 17.2% |
| Kiowa County | $9,863 | $8,525 | $8,525 | 23.1% |
| Latimer County | $10,469 | $9,043 | $9,043 | 24.5% |
| Le Flore County | $10,534 | $9,103 | $9,103 | 22.5% |
| Lincoln County | $10,534 | $9,104 | $9,104 | 18.3% |
| Logan County | $11,182 | $9,672 | $9,672 | 13.9% |
| Love County | $10,755 | $9,297 | $9,297 | 17.7% |
| Major County | $10,279 | $8,886 | $8,886 | 15.2% |
| Marshall County | $10,630 | $9,187 | $9,187 | 19.8% |
| Mayes County | $10,766 | $9,306 | $9,306 | 19.0% |
| McClain County | $11,298 | $9,767 | $9,767 | 14.1% |
| McCurtain County | $10,106 | $8,733 | $8,733 | 21.5% |
| McIntosh County | $10,348 | $8,941 | $8,941 | 23.8% |
| Murray County | $10,864 | $9,391 | $9,391 | 18.0% |
| Muskogee County | $10,492 | $9,070 | $9,070 | 20.9% |
| Noble County | $10,369 | $8,968 | $8,968 | 15.5% |
| Nowata County | $10,412 | $8,999 | $8,999 | 20.4% |
| Okfuskee County | $10,134 | $8,756 | $8,756 | 22.3% |
| Oklahoma County | $11,204 | $9,695 | $9,695 | 17.9% |
| Okmulgee County | $10,581 | $9,144 | $9,144 | 20.8% |
| Osage County | $10,775 | $9,315 | $9,315 | 18.5% |
| Ottawa County | $10,396 | $8,986 | $8,986 | 22.5% |
| Pawnee County | $10,983 | $9,493 | $9,493 | 19.5% |
| Payne County | $10,462 | $9,057 | $9,057 | 22.4% |
| Pittsburg County | $10,687 | $9,237 | $9,237 | 20.1% |
| Pontotoc County | $10,792 | $9,332 | $9,332 | 18.2% |
| Pottawatomie County | $10,941 | $9,456 | $9,456 | 18.8% |
| Pushmataha County | $10,074 | $8,703 | $8,703 | 23.8% |
| Roger Mills County | $10,591 | $9,152 | $9,152 | 18.4% |
| Rogers County | $11,394 | $9,855 | $9,855 | 15.1% |
| Seminole County | $10,347 | $8,941 | $8,941 | 23.9% |
| Sequoyah County | $10,571 | $9,136 | $9,136 | 22.3% |
| Stephens County | $10,784 | $9,321 | $9,321 | 18.9% |
| Texas County | $10,877 | $9,404 | $9,404 | 19.5% |
| Tillman County | $10,318 | $8,917 | $8,917 | 22.3% |
| Tulsa County | $11,247 | $9,732 | $9,732 | 17.2% |
| Wagoner County | $11,433 | $9,889 | $9,889 | 15.2% |
| Washington County | $10,752 | $9,299 | $9,299 | 18.1% |
| Washita County | $10,495 | $9,074 | $9,074 | 17.3% |
| Woods County | $10,606 | $9,174 | $9,174 | 20.9% |
| Woodward County | $10,846 | $9,379 | $9,379 | 17.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Oklahoma rank on childcare costs nationally?
Oklahoma's average center-based infant care ($10,666/yr) is cheaper than 53% of the 45 U.S. states with reported NDCP prices (national rank #21 of 45, cheapest = #1).
Is childcare more or less expensive in Oklahoma than the national average?
Oklahoma's average infant care price runs 11% above the national NDCP average ($9,592/yr) - a HIGH band in this site's sticker scale.
Does childcare cost vary a lot within Oklahoma?
Yes - Oklahoma's 77 reporting counties range from $9,863 to $12,003/yr for infant care, a $2,140 spread.
How does childcare cost change by child age in Oklahoma?
Unusually, Oklahoma'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 July 2026. Primary sources: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP and U.S. Census Bureau ACS.