The following 10 states are where child care costs measure up most favorably against income. Percentages are the portion of a two-parent family’s average income. Overall percentages are averages of infant care, 4-year-old care and school-age care.
1. Louisiana
Married couple median income: $83,839
Average cost of care: $3,922
Overall: 4.7%
Infant care: 6.9%
4-year-old care: 5.9%
School-age care: 1.3%
2. Mississippi
Married couple median income: $67,574
Average cost of care: $3,463
Overall: 5.1%
Infant care: 7.1%
4-year-old care: 5.9%
School-age care: 2.3%
3. Tennessee
Married couple median income: $71,531
Average cost of care: $4,070
Overall: 5.7%
Infant care: 8.2%
4-year-old care: 6.3%
School-age care: 2.6%
4. South Carolina
Married couple median income: $73,641
Average cost of care: $4,461
Overall: 6.1%
Infant care: 8.8%
4-year-old care: 6.3%
School-age care: 3.1%
5. South Dakota
Married couple median income: $77,266
Average cost of care: $4,823
Overall: 6.2%
Infant care: 7.3%
4-year-old care: 6.2%
School-age care: 5.2%
6. Wyoming
Married couple median income: $84,210
Average cost of care: $5,508
Overall: 6.5%
Infant care: 7.8%
4-year-old care: 6.9%
School-age care: 4.9%
7. Alabama
Married couple median income: $73,523
Average cost of care: $5,272
Overall: 7.2%
Infant care: 7.7%
4-year-old care: 6.6%
School-age care: 7.2%
8. New Jersey
Married couple median income: $111,781
Average cost of care: $8,185
Overall: 7.3%
Infant care: 10.3%
4-year-old care: 8.5%
School-age care: 3.1%
9. Virginia
Married couple median income: $98,043
Average cost of care: $7,271
Overall: 7.4%
Infant care: 10.7%
4-year-old care: 8.1%
School-age care: 3.5%
10. Oklahoma
Married couple median income: $69,435
Average cost of care: $5,282
Overall: 7.6%
Infant care: 9.8%
4-year-old care: 7.4%
School-age care: 5.7%
Source: Child Care Aware of America, Parents and the High Cost of Child Care 2015 Report
