According to a study by the Economic Policy Institute, infant childcare in California costs an average of $11,817 per year, or $985 per month. With the median family incoming hovering at $63,605, infant daycare costs make up 18.6% of the average family’s monthly income. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, childcare is affordable if it accounts for 10% or less of a family’s income.

How Do I Know What’s Right for Me?

Services like topdaycarecenters.com and ChildCare.gov allow you to search for childcare options by location and price. The top-rated California childcare sites also allow you to filter by rating, services offered and time-frame for care. California Department of Social Services offers information about available services and financial aid. By making use of tax incentives, financial aid, childcare budget calculators and childcare-finder services, families can make the most fiscally prudent decisions possible.

Factors Impacting Cost of Infant Childcare

The cost of childcare is impacted by employment rates, operating costs and average income. The higher the cost of living and the higher average salaries, the more expensive local childcare will be. Parents can save money by opting for family care centers based out of the home, as opposed to traditional childcare centers or nannies. Options like Flexible Spending Accounts, the Child and Dependent Tax Credit, au pair and employee benefit programs potentially make childcare more accessible, as well.

[1] “Child Care Costs in the United States.” Economic Policy Institute. Accessed December 25, 2018. https://www.epi.org/child-care-costs-in-the-united-states/#/CA.

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Top Daycare Centers was started with a simple mission - To help parents like us find the safest, most reliable and trusted daycare and child care centers and services near your area.