Mapped: Cost of child care in California
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The rising cost of daycare is outpacing inflation, according to a new report.
Why it matters: Climbing 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.
Zoom in: In California, the average annual cost of daycare tuition for two children — one toddler and one infant — was about $39,200 last year, per 2024 data from the advocacy group Child Care Aware.
- That's about 44% of the median household income for a married couple in California, based on 2024 Census data.
Zoom out: The average annual cost nationwide was $28,168 — about 35% of U.S. median household annual income.
The big picture: The U.S. doesn't have publicly funded universal childcare.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to show $39,200 is about 44% of the median household income in California (not 16%).