Jun 2, 2025 - News
Child care costs keep rising
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The rising cost of child care is outpacing overall inflation, per a new report.
Why it matters: Rising child care costs put a huge financial strain on families, forcing some parents — typically women — to either ratchet back their working hours or leave the labor force entirely, writes Axios' Emily Peck.
By the numbers: In Pennsylvania, the average annual cost of daycare tuition for two children — one toddler and one infant — was about $27,400 last year, per data from Child Care Aware, an advocacy group.
- The median income for single-parent households in Pennsylvania is $37,131.
- It's $129,691 for dual-income married couples, per the report.
Zoom out: The cost of child care in the U.S. keeps climbing — prices rose 29% from 2020 to 2024, per the report.