Avg Infant (Center)
$11,828 /yr
Across 29 Utah counties
Statewide childcare costs · DOL NDCP 2022
Childcare costs in Utah
According to PlainChildcare's state ranking (DOL NDCP county averages), Utah ranks #30 of 45 jurisdictions by average center-based infant care price (cheapest = #1).
Data updated 2026-07-05
- $11,828
- Avg infant (center)
- +23%
- Vs. national avg
- #30 of 45
- Corpus placement
NDCP state market brief
Utah statewide sticker posture
- PRICE HIGH vs national NDCP mean
- AVG $11,828 Center infant avg
- SPREAD $129 County min–max gap
- RANK #30 of 45 National state rank
- COUNT 29 Reporting counties
- MIN $11,766 Cheapest county
- MAX $11,895 Priciest county
- PHOTO Ohio Nearest avg peer
Avg-infant peers
Avg Toddler (Center)
$9,645 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Avg Preschool (Center)
$8,778 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Infant cost spread
$11,766 – $11,895
Lowest to highest county
Utah center-based childcare averages by age
Annual cost averaged across all reporting counties. Source: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP 2022.
Where Utah ranks on infant-care cost
Average center-based infant care, every U.S. state with reported prices
$11,828 more affordable than 33% 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
Utah infant care vs. HHS 7%-of-income affordability ceiling 73.9%
HHS 7% threshold
Bar shows Utah 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 Utah, starting at $11,766/yr
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Most Expensive Childcare
Counties with the highest infant care costs in Utah, up to $11,895/yr
Childcare Landscape Across Utah
Across Utah's 29 counties with NDCP price coverage, center-based infant care averages $11,828/year (HIGH vs the national mean), toddler $9,645/year, preschool $8,778/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 $11,766 to $11,895 (Δ $129/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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver County | $11,895 | $9,735 | $8,820 | 14.8% |
| Box Elder County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 16.2% |
| Cache County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 16.2% |
| Carbon County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 21.9% |
| Daggett County | $11,895 | $9,735 | $8,820 | 19.4% |
| Davis County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 11.6% |
| Duchesne County | $11,895 | $9,735 | $8,820 | 16.8% |
| Emery County | $11,895 | $9,735 | $8,820 | 17.7% |
| Garfield County | $11,895 | $9,735 | $8,820 | 21.1% |
| Grand County | $11,895 | $9,735 | $8,820 | 20.1% |
| Iron County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 18.7% |
| Juab County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 13.4% |
| Kane County | $11,895 | $9,735 | $8,820 | 16.9% |
| Millard County | $11,895 | $9,735 | $8,820 | 17.1% |
| Morgan County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 9.7% |
| Piute County | $11,895 | $9,735 | $8,820 | 35.7% |
| Rich County | $11,895 | $9,735 | $8,820 | 17.2% |
| Salt Lake County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 13.1% |
| San Juan County | $11,895 | $9,735 | $8,820 | 22.8% |
| Sanpete County | $11,895 | $9,735 | $8,820 | 18.5% |
| Sevier County | $11,895 | $9,735 | $8,820 | 17.8% |
| Summit County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 9.3% |
| Tooele County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 12.3% |
| Uintah County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 17.3% |
| Utah County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 12.9% |
| Wasatch County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 11.2% |
| Washington County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 16.3% |
| Wayne County | $11,895 | $9,735 | $8,820 | 18.3% |
| Weber County | $11,766 | $9,561 | $8,739 | 14.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Utah rank on childcare costs nationally?
Utah's average center-based infant care ($11,828/yr) is cheaper than only 33% of the 45 U.S. states with reported NDCP prices (national rank #30 of 45, cheapest = #1).
Is childcare more or less expensive in Utah than the national average?
Utah's average infant care price runs 23% above the national NDCP average ($9,592/yr) - a HIGH band in this site's sticker scale.
Does childcare cost vary a lot within Utah?
Yes - Utah's 29 reporting counties range from $11,766 to $11,895/yr for infant care, a $129 spread.
How does childcare cost change by child age in Utah?
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 July 2026. Primary sources: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP and U.S. Census Bureau ACS.