Avg Infant (Center)
$12,639 /yr
Across 36 Oregon counties
Statewide childcare costs · DOL NDCP 2022
Childcare costs in Oregon
According to PlainChildcare's state ranking (DOL NDCP county averages), Oregon ranks #32 of 45 jurisdictions by average center-based infant care price (cheapest = #1).
Data updated 2026-09-24
- $12,639
- Avg infant (center)
- +32%
- Vs. national avg
- #32 of 45
- Corpus placement
NDCP state market brief
Oregon statewide sticker posture
- PRICE HIGH vs national NDCP mean
- AVG $12,639 Center infant avg
- SPREAD $10,908 County min–max gap
- RANK #32 of 45 National state rank
- COUNT 36 Reporting counties
- MIN $10,260 Cheapest county
- MAX $21,168 Priciest county
- PHOTO Colorado Nearest avg peer
Avg-infant peers
Avg Toddler (Center)
$11,605 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Avg Preschool (Center)
$9,385 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Infant cost spread
$10,260 – $21,168
Lowest to highest county
Oregon center-based childcare averages by age
Annual cost averaged across all reporting counties. Source: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP 2022.
Where Oregon ranks on infant-care cost
Average center-based infant care, every U.S. state with reported prices
$12,639 more affordable than 29% 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
Oregon infant care vs. HHS 7%-of-income affordability ceiling 79.0%
HHS 7% threshold
Bar shows Oregon 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 Oregon, starting at $10,260/yr
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Most Expensive Childcare
Counties with the highest infant care costs in Oregon, up to $21,168/yr
Childcare Landscape Across Oregon
Across Oregon's 36 counties with NDCP price coverage, center-based infant care averages $12,639/year (HIGH vs the national mean), toddler $11,605/year, preschool $9,385/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 $10,260 to $21,168 (Δ $10,908/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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 19.9% |
| Benton County | $17,690 | $16,246 | $12,696 | 24.3% |
| Clackamas County | $18,618 | $17,207 | $13,493 | 19.4% |
| Clatsop County | $12,068 | $11,029 | $8,961 | 17.7% |
| Columbia County | $14,190 | $13,013 | $10,380 | 17.0% |
| Coos County | $12,406 | $11,329 | $9,177 | 21.6% |
| Crook County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 13.7% |
| Curry County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 16.0% |
| Deschutes County | $17,478 | $16,075 | $12,571 | 21.3% |
| Douglas County | $11,013 | $10,090 | $8,284 | 19.5% |
| Gilliam County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 17.6% |
| Grant County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 18.3% |
| Harney County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 22.6% |
| Hood River County | $17,799 | $16,344 | $12,767 | 22.2% |
| Jackson County | $13,614 | $12,404 | $9,952 | 20.1% |
| Jefferson County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 14.8% |
| Josephine County | $13,582 | $12,375 | $9,932 | 24.2% |
| Klamath County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 17.9% |
| Lake County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 18.8% |
| Lane County | $17,131 | $15,728 | $12,326 | 26.3% |
| Lincoln County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 17.8% |
| Linn County | $12,252 | $11,192 | $9,078 | 17.6% |
| Malheur County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 21.2% |
| Marion County | $13,449 | $12,256 | $9,847 | 19.0% |
| Morrow County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 15.8% |
| Multnomah County | $21,168 | $19,704 | $15,437 | 25.3% |
| Polk County | $12,333 | $11,264 | $9,131 | 15.9% |
| Sherman County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 17.9% |
| Tillamook County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 16.3% |
| Umatilla County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 14.6% |
| Union County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 16.6% |
| Wallowa County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 16.5% |
| Wasco County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 16.7% |
| Washington County | $19,994 | $18,564 | $14,566 | 20.0% |
| Wheeler County | $10,260 | $9,420 | $7,800 | 20.2% |
| Yamhill County | $15,313 | $13,997 | $11,092 | 19.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Oregon rank on childcare costs nationally?
Oregon's average center-based infant care ($12,639/yr) is cheaper than only 29% of the 45 U.S. states with reported NDCP prices (national rank #32 of 45, cheapest = #1).
Is childcare more or less expensive in Oregon than the national average?
Oregon's average infant care price runs 32% above the national NDCP average ($9,592/yr) - a HIGH band in this site's sticker scale.
Does childcare cost vary a lot within Oregon?
Yes - Oregon's 36 reporting counties range from $10,260 to $21,168/yr for infant care, a $10,908 spread.
How does childcare cost change by child age in Oregon?
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.