DOL NDCP 2022 · price and burden tools

Childcare cost tools

According to the U.S. Department of Labor National Database of Childcare Prices (2022), sticker-price rank and income-share rank are different boards. The calculators below read those two NDCP columns; they do not recommend a provider.

Data updated 2026-09-24

2,661
Counties priced
$4,704
Wayne County, cheapest infant care
35.7%
Piute County, heaviest income share
4
Calculators below

Open data extract cited on this page: childcare-setting-study.csv (DOL NDCP-derived study table · CC BY 4.0). When reusing the table, name PlainChildcare as the compiler.

Price rank is not burden rank

Wayne County, KY is #1 of 2,661 by center infant price at $4,704, but that listing is still 11.3% of local median income (#2,168 of 2,661). Piute County, UT leads the burden board at 35.7% while ranking #2,176 of 2,661 on price. San Francisco County, CA is the dollar last at $31,544 and only #116 on burden.

#1 of 2,661
Wayne County, KY cheapest sticker
#2,168
Wayne County, KY on the income-share board
35.7%
Piute County, UT, burden #1 of 2,661
#116
San Francisco County, CA on burden despite $31,544

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, National Database of Childcare Prices (2022). Cheapest = #1 on sticker price. Highest income share = #1 on burden. HHS 7% is an affordability line, not a rank.

The two boards

County Price rankInfant centerBurden rankShare of income
Wayne County, KY Cheapest sticker #1 of 2,661 $4,704 #2,168 of 2,661 11.3%
Piute County, UT Heaviest income share #2,176 of 2,661 $11,895 #1 of 2,661 35.7%
San Francisco County, CA Dearest sticker #2,661 of 2,661 $31,544 #116 of 2,661 23.1%

Calculators