South Dakota

Most affordable states for child care

South Dakota

Median family income: $81,470

Center-based child care costs: $7,176

Family child care costs: $5,429

Percent of income needed for center-based child care: 8.81%

Working parents are not only struggling to find child care, but to afford it too. A new survey from GOBankingRates analyzed the costs of child care for infants, toddlers and 4-year-olds and compared their findings to the median income this care equals. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines affordable child care as 7% of one's income. This means there is no state in the U.S. offers affordable child care. However, the survey put together a list of the next most affordable states. Rounding out the top 5 most affordable states for child care is South Dakota, North Dakota, New Hampshire, Utah, and Maryland. The states with the least affordable child care are Washington, North Carolina, New Jersey, California, New Mexico. Employees are looking to their employers for help, whether that be flexible work arrangements to drop off and pick up kids from school or daycare, or a stipend to help fund daycare in order for the employee to make it into the office.
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Lily Peterson

Lily Peterson is the managing editor for BenefitsPRO.com.