How much childcare costs in California
Center-based infant care in California costs about $23,555 a year in 2026 dollars (estimate), or $1,963 a month. In 2022 federal data it was $19,270, 18.4% of the median family income and 2.6× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark.
Cost by age and care type
Annual prices for full-time care, averaged across California's counties and weighted by population. 2026 figures are estimates scaled by the BLS day care and preschool CPI to August 2026.
| Age | Center, 2022 | Center, 2026 est. | Home, 2022 | Home, 2026 est. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (0 to 23 months) | $19,270 | $23,555 | $15,102 | $18,460 |
| Toddler (24 to 35 months) | $13,600 | $16,624 | $13,141 | $16,063 |
| Preschool (36 to 54 months) | $13,140 | $16,062 | $13,133 | $16,053 |
Family child care, in a provider's home, costs about $15,102 a year for an infant in California (2022 data): $4,168, or 22% less than a center.
Childcare cost by county in California
San Francisco County has the highest center-based infant price in California, $31,544 a year in 2022 data, and Imperial County the lowest, $11,533: a gap of $20,011 a year (174% higher). These county prices are Department of Labor estimates: extrapolated from the state's 2018 survey using price changes in similar counties.
| County | Center infant | Toddler | Preschool | Home infant | Family income | Infant share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco County | $31,544 | $22,539 | $24,806 | $20,559 | $159,981 | 19.7% |
| San Mateo County | $28,837 | $20,655 | $22,733 | $19,501 | $175,776 | 16.4% |
| Marin County | $28,504 | $20,474 | $22,534 | $20,395 | $185,883 | 15.3% |
| Santa Clara County | $27,411 | $19,378 | $21,327 | $18,765 | $174,855 | 15.7% |
| Alameda County | $26,827 | $19,293 | $21,233 | $18,754 | $149,535 | 17.9% |
| Contra Costa County | $25,052 | $17,980 | $19,788 | $16,568 | $139,078 | 18.0% |
| Santa Cruz County | $24,798 | $16,941 | $13,292 | $21,200 | $127,331 | 19.5% |
| Santa Barbara County | $23,532 | $16,070 | $12,590 | $18,877 | $105,067 | 22.4% |
| El Dorado County | $23,398 | $15,088 | $11,838 | $19,335 | $122,465 | 19.1% |
| Placer County | $23,344 | $15,419 | $12,098 | $20,243 | $131,178 | 17.8% |
| Ventura County | $22,085 | $14,136 | $15,557 | $13,605 | $116,726 | 18.9% |
| Solano County | $22,030 | $14,149 | $11,103 | $19,078 | $110,159 | 20.0% |
| Fresno County | $21,611 | $12,990 | $10,554 | $15,344 | $76,092 | 28.4% |
| Riverside County | $21,043 | $12,384 | $9,814 | $12,021 | $95,246 | 22.1% |
| Monterey County | $20,953 | $13,118 | $10,277 | $16,571 | $97,004 | 21.6% |
| Orange County | $20,473 | $14,647 | $13,200 | $15,599 | $124,132 | 16.5% |
| Yolo County | $20,135 | $13,779 | $16,215 | $13,528 | $111,069 | 18.1% |
| San Joaquin County | $20,108 | $12,289 | $9,627 | $17,059 | $91,565 | 22.0% |
| San Benito County | $20,071 | $12,001 | $13,207 | $12,318 | $112,958 | 17.8% |
| San Bernardino County | $19,981 | $11,511 | $8,996 | $14,083 | $85,528 | 23.4% |
| San Diego County | $19,719 | $13,999 | $12,616 | $13,045 | $111,734 | 17.6% |
| Napa County | $19,608 | $13,746 | $12,388 | $13,646 | $122,540 | 16.0% |
| Mono County | $19,237 | $12,501 | $14,710 | $15,356 | $99,721 | 19.3% |
| Humboldt County | $19,044 | $12,040 | $9,969 | $13,136 | $80,244 | 23.7% |
| Yuba County | $18,987 | $11,400 | $9,263 | $14,218 | $76,321 | 24.9% |
| San Luis Obispo County | $18,786 | $12,040 | $14,167 | $12,793 | $114,196 | 16.5% |
| Inyo County | $18,765 | $11,055 | $9,154 | $12,941 | $80,504 | 23.3% |
| Alpine County | $18,509 | $9,684 | $8,728 | $10,502 | $114,625 | 16.1% |
| Butte County | $18,410 | $11,247 | $9,313 | $15,135 | $85,990 | 21.4% |
| Kern County | $18,337 | $10,716 | $8,873 | $12,354 | $71,065 | 25.8% |
| Sacramento County | $18,040 | $11,512 | $13,546 | $12,581 | $97,966 | 18.4% |
| Madera County | $17,239 | $9,790 | $8,107 | $12,267 | $79,066 | 21.8% |
| Nevada County | $16,469 | $11,053 | $10,452 | $11,344 | $100,889 | 16.3% |
| Stanislaus County | $16,449 | $11,353 | $8,894 | $15,820 | $83,732 | 19.6% |
| Sutter County | $15,947 | $10,230 | $12,039 | $11,420 | $83,847 | 19.0% |
| Calaveras County | $15,131 | $10,203 | $8,449 | $12,677 | $89,134 | 17.0% |
| Mendocino County | $14,459 | $10,541 | $8,729 | $12,461 | $79,466 | 18.2% |
| Tuolumne County | $14,010 | $10,779 | $8,420 | $12,517 | $91,287 | 15.3% |
| Siskiyou County | $13,802 | $10,600 | $11,489 | $9,962 | $67,908 | 20.3% |
| Colusa County | $13,768 | $9,595 | $7,945 | $12,481 | $80,746 | 17.1% |
| Lake County | $13,594 | $10,200 | $8,446 | $12,057 | $77,378 | 17.6% |
| Kings County | $13,547 | $9,584 | $7,936 | $11,334 | $72,111 | 18.8% |
| Los Angeles County | $13,363 | $11,480 | $11,699 | $14,787 | $93,675 | 14.3% |
| Mariposa County | $13,224 | $9,551 | $7,909 | $12,050 | $71,667 | 18.5% |
| Shasta County | $12,910 | $9,472 | $11,146 | $10,842 | $85,284 | 15.1% |
| Merced County | $12,716 | $10,364 | $8,582 | $11,996 | $70,798 | 18.0% |
| Sonoma County | $12,647 | $10,410 | $10,610 | $14,880 | $119,780 | 10.6% |
| Tulare County | $12,494 | $9,928 | $8,221 | $12,803 | $67,525 | 18.5% |
| Glenn County | $12,387 | $9,460 | $7,833 | $10,956 | $75,654 | 16.4% |
| Tehama County | $12,261 | $9,442 | $7,818 | $11,521 | $73,102 | 16.8% |
| Amador County | $12,218 | $9,683 | $7,564 | $11,237 | $95,970 | 12.7% |
| Del Norte County | $11,670 | $9,296 | $7,698 | $11,995 | $74,548 | 15.7% |
| 2 countiesLassen County, Plumas County | $11,670 | $9,296 | $7,698 | $11,968 | $69,158 to $86,990 | 13.4 to 16.9% |
| 2 countiesModoc County, Sierra County | $11,670 | $9,296 | $7,698 | $10,685 | $61,250 to $73,917 | 15.8 to 19.1% |
| Trinity County | $11,670 | $9,296 | $7,698 | $12,612 | $61,905 | 18.9% |
| Imperial County | $11,533 | $9,125 | $8,383 | $9,863 | $60,776 | 19.0% |
Annual median prices in 2022 data, not quotes. Counties with identical prices are grouped. All 58 center-based infant prices here are Department of Labor estimates: extrapolated from the state's 2018 survey using price changes in similar counties. How prices are estimated.
Neighboring states
- Arizona$1,339/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Nevada$1,386/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Oregon$1,689/mo infant, 2026 est.
See how California compares in the full ranking of childcare costs by state.
Frequently asked questions
How much is daycare in California per month?
Center-based infant care in California costs about $1,963 a month in estimated 2026 dollars ($1,606 a month in 2022 federal data). In a center, toddler care runs about $1,385 and preschool about $1,338 a month in 2026 dollars, and home-based infant care about $1,538. These are population-weighted averages across California's counties; actual prices vary by provider.
What is the cheapest county for childcare in California?
San Francisco County has the highest center-based infant price in California, $31,544 a year in 2022 data, and Imperial County the lowest, $11,533: a gap of $20,011 a year (174% higher). These county prices are Department of Labor estimates: extrapolated from the state's 2018 survey using price changes in similar counties.
How much of a family's income does childcare take in California?
Center-based infant care takes about 18.4% of the median family income in California ($19,270 against $104,823, 2022 data), 2.6× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark. That ranks 2 of 49 for burden, where 1 is the heaviest. Across counties it ranges from 10.6% in Sonoma County to 28.4% in Fresno County.
Source: National Database of Childcare Prices, U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, county file NDCP2022.xlsx (2022 data for California). 2026 estimates use the BLS CPI-U day care and preschool index (series CUUR0000SEEB03) to August 2026. Methodology · Download every county (CSV)