Avg Infant (Center)
$15,987 /yr
Across 39 Washington counties
Statewide childcare costs · DOL NDCP 2022
Childcare costs in Washington
According to PlainChildcare's state ranking (DOL NDCP county averages), Washington ranks #41 of 45 jurisdictions by average center-based infant care price (cheapest = #1).
Data updated 2026-07-05
- $15,987
- Avg infant (center)
- +67%
- Vs. national avg
- #41 of 45
- Corpus placement
NDCP state market brief
Washington statewide sticker posture
- PRICE STEEP vs national NDCP mean
- AVG $15,987 Center infant avg
- SPREAD $12,553 County min–max gap
- RANK #41 of 45 National state rank
- COUNT 39 Reporting counties
- MIN $12,326 Cheapest county
- MAX $24,879 Priciest county
- PHOTO Alaska Nearest avg peer
Avg-infant peers
Avg Toddler (Center)
$12,531 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Avg Preschool (Center)
$12,531 /yr
Center-based weighted average
Infant cost spread
$12,326 – $24,879
Lowest to highest county
Washington center-based childcare averages by age
Annual cost averaged across all reporting counties. Source: DOL Women's Bureau NDCP 2022.
Where Washington ranks on infant-care cost
Average center-based infant care, every U.S. state with reported prices
$15,987 more affordable than 9% 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
Washington infant care vs. HHS 7%-of-income affordability ceiling 99.9%
HHS 7% threshold
Bar shows Washington 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 Washington, starting at $12,326/yr
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Most Expensive Childcare
Counties with the highest infant care costs in Washington, up to $24,879/yr
Childcare Landscape Across Washington
Across Washington's 39 counties with NDCP price coverage, center-based infant care averages $15,987/year (STEEP vs the national mean), toddler $12,531/year, preschool $12,531/year. Unusually, Washington'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 $12,326 to $24,879 (Δ $12,553/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 | $12,326 | $11,260 | $11,260 | 19.5% |
| Asotin County | $12,326 | $11,260 | $11,260 | 19.3% |
| Benton County | $14,060 | $10,800 | $10,800 | 16.8% |
| Chelan County | $12,326 | $11,260 | $11,260 | 17.1% |
| Clallam County | $18,580 | $12,944 | $12,944 | 28.1% |
| Clark County | $18,580 | $12,944 | $12,944 | 20.6% |
| Columbia County | $14,060 | $10,800 | $10,800 | 20.4% |
| Cowlitz County | $18,580 | $12,944 | $12,944 | 26.2% |
| Douglas County | $12,326 | $11,260 | $11,260 | 15.5% |
| Ferry County | $12,326 | $11,260 | $11,260 | 24.4% |
| Franklin County | $14,060 | $10,800 | $10,800 | 18.1% |
| Garfield County | $12,326 | $11,260 | $11,260 | 21.3% |
| Grant County | $12,326 | $11,260 | $11,260 | 18.6% |
| Grays Harbor County | $18,580 | $12,944 | $12,944 | 31.4% |
| Island County | $18,868 | $15,090 | $15,090 | 22.8% |
| Jefferson County | $18,580 | $12,944 | $12,944 | 28.7% |
| King County | $24,879 | $20,264 | $20,264 | 21.4% |
| Kitsap County | $17,034 | $12,951 | $12,951 | 18.2% |
| Kittitas County | $14,060 | $10,800 | $10,800 | 21.0% |
| Klickitat County | $18,580 | $12,944 | $12,944 | 27.9% |
| Lewis County | $18,580 | $12,944 | $12,944 | 27.6% |
| Lincoln County | $12,326 | $11,260 | $11,260 | 18.1% |
| Mason County | $18,580 | $12,944 | $12,944 | 25.0% |
| Okanogan County | $12,326 | $11,260 | $11,260 | 21.2% |
| Pacific County | $18,580 | $12,944 | $12,944 | 31.6% |
| Pend Oreille County | $12,326 | $11,260 | $11,260 | 20.8% |
| Pierce County | $17,034 | $12,951 | $12,951 | 18.6% |
| San Juan County | $18,868 | $15,090 | $15,090 | 24.6% |
| Skagit County | $18,868 | $15,090 | $15,090 | 23.0% |
| Skamania County | $18,580 | $12,944 | $12,944 | 22.0% |
| Snohomish County | $18,868 | $15,090 | $15,090 | 18.1% |
| Spokane County | $14,992 | $11,860 | $11,860 | 21.3% |
| Stevens County | $12,326 | $11,260 | $11,260 | 19.8% |
| Thurston County | $18,580 | $12,944 | $12,944 | 20.9% |
| Wahkiakum County | $18,580 | $12,944 | $12,944 | 31.4% |
| Walla Walla County | $14,060 | $10,800 | $10,800 | 21.1% |
| Whatcom County | $18,868 | $15,090 | $15,090 | 24.3% |
| Whitman County | $12,326 | $11,260 | $11,260 | 25.0% |
| Yakima County | $14,060 | $10,800 | $10,800 | 21.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Washington rank on childcare costs nationally?
Washington's average center-based infant care ($15,987/yr) is cheaper than only 9% of the 45 U.S. states with reported NDCP prices (national rank #41 of 45, cheapest = #1).
Is childcare more or less expensive in Washington than the national average?
Washington's average infant care price runs 67% above the national NDCP average ($9,592/yr) - a STEEP band in this site's sticker scale.
Does childcare cost vary a lot within Washington?
Yes - Washington's 39 reporting counties range from $12,326 to $24,879/yr for infant care, a $12,553 spread.
How does childcare cost change by child age in Washington?
Unusually, Washington'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.