These are the best and worst states for childcare

As soon as I entered my second trimester, I started looking for childcare. Out of the 10 places I contacted, only one had an opening in the fall, more than 10 months away. And my husband and I would have the privilege of paying $2,720 a month for it. 

The situation in Massachusetts where I live is brutal, but it’s not the worst in the country. In fact, Massachusetts ranks twelfth in a new BabyCenter analysis of the best and worst states for childcare due to its robust public subsidies. In a few years, my family will be able to take advantage of free pre-K, thanks to city and state programs. 

The complicated web of cost, availability, and subsidies can make it hard to gauge where childcare is working better for families and where it falls incredibly short. States can get up to a certain amount of matching funds to subsidize costs for low-income families from the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). Some states spend way beyond the requirements and open up eligibility requirements to support more kids living there – while others do the bare minimum. The result is a fractured landscape where the support you get can really depend on where you live. 

“A family in one state might get very different help than an identical family across the state line,” says Anne HedgepethOpens a new window, senior vice president of policy and research at Child Care Aware of AmericaOpens a new window. “Until we have more robust federal and state investment that’s truly sized to meet the need everywhere, those gaps are going to persist.”

On a broad level, things aren’t great: 70% of moms with a kid under age 5 say they’re stressed about the cost of childcare, and 59% feel anxious about finding it, according to a new BabyCenter poll. Only one state in the country, New Mexico, has childcare that costs less than 7% of family income, which is the Department of Health and Human Services benchmarkOpens a new window for affordable childcare. 

“The childcare market is broken,” says Judy Reidt-Parker, director of national policy at Start EarlyOpens a new window. “New Mexico [and] Vermont, they’re trying to solve that and make it not broken, but at this moment in time, I don’t know that there’s really any state where it’s a healthy market.”

Nationwide, there are only about 10.8 million licensed childcare spots but 14.8 million children with a potential need for care, per the Bipartisan Policy CenterOpens a new window. That means there are only about seven seats for every 10 kids who need them.

To better understand where parents struggle with childcare the most, BabyCenter analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Child Care Aware of AmericaOpens a new window to find which states have the worst and best childcare. The rankings are based  on a formula that takes into account affordability, accessibility, and, importantly, state subsidies that support parents. 

BabyCenter compared the average cost of infant daycare in each state to the median household income for families, then measured availability by comparing licensed childcare capacity to the number of children under age 5 living in the state. Finally, we analyzed how much each state spends per child on childcare and preschool programs. These metrics were combined into a weighted overall score to determine each state’s final ranking.

Here’s where parents can find and afford childcare — and where it’s out of reach for many. 

The best and worst states for childcare

Rank	State	Childcare spaces per child	Income spent on childcare	State subsidies per child	Overall score
1	New Mexico	0.66	0.0%	$3,000-9,900	75.9
2	Vermont	1.28	19.7%	$3,000-9,900	65.5
3	Delaware	1.02	16.4%	$1,501-3,000	56.2
4	Arkansas	1.08	12.9%	$501-1,000	54.7
5	North Dakota	0.76	11.5%	$1,501-3,000	54.4
6	New Jersey	0.77	13.6%	$1,501-3,000	51.3
7	Michigan	0.75	14.9%	$1,501-3,000	48.2
8	Mississippi	0.78	8.9%	$0-500	45.1
9	Maine	0.80	15.3%	$1,001-1,500	44.5
10	Connecticut	0.67	15.3%	$1,501-3,000	44.2
11	Iowa	0.85	13.7%	$501-1,000	44.2
12	Massachusetts	0.70	19.7%	$3,000-9,900	42.9
13	District of Columbia	0.69	20.3%	$3,000-9,900	41.2
14	Minnesota	0.67	17.0%	$1,501-3,000	41.2
15	Maryland	0.55	15.6%	$1,501-3,000	39.4
16	Georgia	0.60	11.6%	$501-1,000	38.0
17	Pennsylvania	0.60	14.7%	$1,001-1,500	37.9
18	Texas	0.58	11.6%	$501-1,000	37.4
19	South Carolina	0.71	11.8%	$0-500	37.3
20	South Dakota	0.58	8.7%	$0-500	37.3
21	Nebraska	0.70	14.9%	$501-1,000	36.5
22	Ohio	0.81	14.9%	$0-500	35.5
23	West Virginia	0.39	11.6%	$1,001-1,500	34.7
24	California	0.52	20.7%	$3,000-9,900	34.2
25	Florida	0.67	15.8%	$501-1,000	33.7
26	New Hampshire	0.60	12.5%	$0-500	31.8
27	Wyoming	0.68	14.6%	$0-500	31.3
28	Oregon	0.51	19.8%	$1,501-3,000	30.3
29	Alabama	0.34	10.5%	$501-1,000	29.9
30	Virginia	0.40	14.8%	$1,001-1,500	29.8
31	North Carolina	0.53	15.1%	$501-1,000	29.5
32	Kansas	0.54	12.7%	$0-500	28.8
33	Washington	0.42	18.7%	$1,501-3,000	28.8
34	Rhode Island	0.65	18.2%	$501-1,000	28.3
35	Louisiana	0.47	14.3%	$501-1,000	28.2
36	Arizona	0.68	16.3%	$0-500	28.1
37	Illinois	0.37	18.3%	$1,501-3,000	27.6
38	Kentucky	0.63	15.6%	$0-500	27.3
39	Alaska	0.39	11.2%	$0-500	25.7
40	Oklahoma	0.49	14.1%	$0-500	24.6
41	Idaho	0.31	10.8%	$0-500	23.3
42	New York	0.46	20.1%	$1,001-1,500	22.8
43	Colorado	0.53	16.8%	$0-500	21.2
44	Tennessee	0.45	16.1%	$0-500	19.3
45	Utah	0.26	12.5%	$0-500	18.1
46	Wisconsin	0.49	18.2%	$0-500	17.3
47	Montana	0.37	15.4%	$0-500	17.3
48	Missouri	0.38	15.9%	$0-500	17.2
49	Hawaii	0.34	22.8%	$1,001-1,500	13.3
50	Nevada	0.30	17.1%	$0-500	11.7
51	Indiana	0.27	19.4%	$0-500	6.6

Indiana, Nevada, Hawaii, Missouri, and Montana have the worst childcare

#47 Montana

Montana’s annual daycare fees of $15,476 account for 15% of the average family’s income. There are also fewer than four spots for every 10 children who live there, meaning it’s relatively hard to find a daycare spot when you need it. Montana spends less than $500 per child on daycare programs, and it doesn’t put any state funds toward preschool. 

#48 Missouri

Missouri’s another tough state for working parents. Moms and dads in the Show Me State spend about 16% of their income on childcare, and there are less than four spots available for every 10 children. Missouri also fails to spend any additional money on childcare or preschool beyond what’s required to get matching federal funds. 

#49 Hawaii

Hawaii has the most expensive childcare out of all 50 states, costing $25,096 annually. That’s 23% of the average family’s income. (Imagine a quarter of every single paycheck going toward childcare bills!) It’s also incredibly hard to find daycare openings in the Aloha State – there are less than four spots for every 10 children. 

#50 Nevada

If you’re living in Nevada, expect to pay about 17% of your income on childcare for your baby – if you can find a spot, that is. There are fewer than three seats available for every 10 children. Nevada only spends the minimum amount on childcare to get matching federal funds.  

#51 Indiana

Indiana has some of the most expensive daycare fees in the country, with an average annual tuition of $17,461 for babies. That’s almost a fifth of the average Indiana family’s income, for care for just one child. The state also has the second-worst availability in the country – there are less than three spots for every 10 children, meaning parents can expect to spend months on waitlists. 

New Mexico, Vermont, Delaware, Arkansas, and North Dakota have the best childcare 

#5 North Dakota

Fees for an infant in daycare in North Dakota cost an average of $12,281 annually, or 11.5% of the average family’s income. Plus, there are more than seven spots for every 10 children, making it less difficult for parents to find care when they need it, compared to other states.

#4 Arkansas

Arkansas is one of only three states to have more daycare spots than children to fill them, so it’s pretty easy to find care. On top of that, it has some of the most affordable childcare in the country. Tuition for an infant is still in the four-figures, at an average of $9,727 – but that’s a (relatively) modest 13% of the average family’s income.

#3 Delaware

On average, the tuition for infant care in Delaware costs $17,252, or 16%, of a family’s income. That’s pretty middle-of-the-road in terms of cost, but like Arkansas, Delaware has more spots in licensed childcare centers than there are children. That means that parents looking for care in the First State can find a place with openings more easily. This high accessibility score shoots Delaware toward the top of the rankings. 

#2 Vermont

Vermont’s Act 76Opens a new window, a big new childcare law, finished rolling out in 2025. Using a new 0.44% employer payroll tax, Vermont now significantly subsidizes childcare facilities so more parents can return to the workforce, a big boon for both families who need care and businesses who need workers. Act 76 is now making childcare easier to find and more affordable for parents making up to 575%Opens a new window of the federal poverty level. In practice, a family of four making $100,000 a year only has to pay about $200 a week; a family making under $56,000 pays zero. 

There are also plenty of places for little ones to enroll: Vermont has more licensed childcare spots than there are children under age 5 in the state, meaning waitlists are relatively uncommon. 

#1 New Mexico 

It’s no surprise that New Mexico is the best place in the country when it comes to childcare: It became the first state to guarantee no-cost childcare for every family in November 2025. This makes it the cheapest option in all 50 states – by far. Families can choose any registered care provider – including centers, home-based providers, language immersion or faith-based programs – and pay zero copays, regardless of how much they make. It’s the only state that meets the DHHS’s recommendation that childcare account for no more than 7% of a family’s income.  

To improve the availability of childcare, New Mexico also gives more funds to centers that pay their educators at least $18 per hour and stay open at least 10 hours per day, five days a week. The higher salaries attract more workers, and more workers mean more kids can get the care they need. Since 2019, the total capacity has grown nearly 20%. Now, there are nearly seven licensed daycare spots for every 10 kids. 

The quality of care has grown too – the percentage of children in five-star licensed programs (meaning the program has met the state’s highest possible quality rating) has trended upward each year.  

How to find and afford childcare

Lining up childcare can be a challenge no matter where you live, and you’re not alone if you’re struggling to find options that work with both your schedule and your budget. 

Here are some tips on how to make an incredibly difficult childcare landscape a little bit easier on you: 

Just as importantly, consider contacting your local representativesOpens a new window and telling them to invest in daycare, pre-K, and after-school options where you live. 

“The cost can just be so insurmountable for both providers and parents that the solution is a public investment, ” Reidt-Parker says. “The burden of paying for childcare falls on parents, and that’s not true in K through 12 … People do need childcare – it’s a public good.”

Methodology 

To compare childcare conditions across states, BabyCenter evaluated three key factors: accessibility, cost, and public investment. Data on the number of licensed child care centers and family child care providers were sourced from Child Care Aware of America’s annual Child Care Landscape Analysis and compared with U.S. Census estimates of children under age 5 to calculate the number of childcare spots per child for each state. To assess affordability, BabyCenter used Child Care Aware’s annual Price of Care report and divided the average annual cost of infant care by the U.S. Census Bureau median household income for families with children under 18 to estimate the share of income families spend on childcare. BabyCenter also assessed state spending on childcare and preschool per child, grouping states into five tiers based on the spending levels published in Child Care Aware of America’s annual state funding report and other publicly available sources.

Each metric was normalized on a 0–100 scale using a min–max approach, where states are scored relative to the highest- and lowest-performing states for each measure. Affordability scores were reversed so that lower costs correspond to higher scores. BabyCenter then calculated an overall score for each state by weighting accessibility and cost at 40% each and public investment at 20%. States were ranked based on their composite scores, with higher scores indicating more favorable childcare conditions.

The BabyCenter Talk to Moms® Monthly Poll was conducted by Everyday Health Group – Pregnancy and Parenting between April 30 and May 4, 2026. We surveyed 492 U.S. women ages 18 to 44 who have at least one child 5 years old or younger.