How much childcare costs in Colorado
Center-based infant care in Colorado costs about $22,941 a year in 2026 dollars (estimate), or $1,912 a month. In 2022 federal data it was $18,768, 17.1% of the median family income and 2.4× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark.
Cost by age and care type
Annual prices for full-time care, averaged across the 62 of Colorado's 64 counties with a price 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) | $18,768 | $22,941 | $12,385 | $15,139 |
| Toddler (24 to 35 months) | $16,358 | $19,995 | $11,551 | $14,119 |
| Preschool (36 to 54 months) | $14,403 | $17,606 | $11,551 | $14,119 |
Family child care, in a provider's home, costs about $12,385 a year for an infant in Colorado (2022 data): $6,383, or 34% less than a center.
Childcare cost by county in Colorado
Denver County has the highest center-based infant price in Colorado, $22,357 a year in 2022 data, and Baca County, Bent County and 7 other counties the lowest, $5,400: a gap of $16,957 a year (314% higher). This compares only the 61 counties whose prices are not flagged as estimated.
The federal file has a center-based infant price for 62 of Colorado's 64 counties in 2022. The state figures above average only those counties.
| County | Center infant | Toddler | Preschool | Home infant | Family income | Infant share | Est. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver County | $22,357 | $19,469 | $17,264 | $11,604 | $109,682 | 20.4% | |
| Jefferson County | $21,590 | $18,619 | $17,025 | $14,089 | $127,276 | 17.0% | |
| Boulder County | $21,000 | $20,244 | $18,073 | $13,965 | $136,591 | 15.4% | |
| San Miguel County | $20,961 | $18,348 | $16,489 | $16,175 | $97,472 | 21.5% | |
| Douglas County | $20,862 | $16,741 | $14,370 | $13,546 | $158,102 | 13.2% | |
| Adams County | $20,405 | $17,204 | $14,087 | $12,810 | $98,225 | 20.8% | |
| Larimer County | $20,345 | $18,255 | $15,111 | $12,067 | $112,985 | 18.0% | |
| Park County | $20,077 | $15,392 | $13,146 | $13,075 | $107,599 | 18.7% | |
| Summit County | $19,744 | $18,577 | $16,986 | $17,030 | $120,716 | 16.4% | |
| Arapahoe County | $19,625 | $16,926 | $14,586 | $13,354 | $114,803 | 17.1% | |
| Ouray County | $18,996 | $16,494 | $13,720 | $13,075 | $89,070 | 21.3% | |
| El Paso County | $18,223 | $15,626 | $13,835 | $12,568 | $98,645 | 18.5% | |
| Grand County | $17,776 | $18,093 | $13,718 | $16,107 | $104,579 | 17.0% | † |
| Broomfield County | $17,753 | $16,978 | $13,762 | $16,175 | $154,023 | 11.5% | |
| Weld County | $17,740 | $15,259 | $13,099 | $12,745 | $102,620 | 17.3% | |
| Eagle County | $17,295 | $15,743 | $15,127 | $11,762 | $114,344 | 15.1% | |
| Routt County | $17,246 | $18,200 | $16,554 | $12,410 | $116,203 | 14.8% | |
| Garfield County | $15,462 | $13,161 | $14,102 | $13,920 | $96,416 | 16.0% | |
| 2 countiesGilpin County, San Juan County | $15,306 | $14,284 | $12,750 | $12,067 | $72,292 to $116,235 | 13.2 to 21.2% | |
| Moffat County | $15,153 | $13,447 | $13,018 | $9,724 | $79,722 | 19.0% | |
| La Plata County | $14,872 | $12,308 | $11,019 | $12,207 | $104,101 | 14.3% | |
| Gunnison County | $14,825 | $13,624 | $8,044 | $11,224 | $113,112 | 13.1% | |
| Huerfano County | $14,825 | $5,346 | $4,776 | $7,639 | $65,211 | 22.7% | |
| Chaffee County | $14,724 | $6,453 | $19,347 | $13,520 | $83,786 | 17.6% | |
| Teller County | $14,713 | $13,556 | $7,855 | $7,329 | $88,829 | 16.6% | |
| Elbert County | $14,591 | $13,835 | $13,013 | $13,294 | $136,020 | 10.7% | |
| Clear Creek County | $14,508 | $11,835 | $10,795 | $12,207 | $123,354 | 11.8% | |
| Pitkin County | $14,170 | $15,106 | $13,676 | $17,030 | $122,870 | 11.5% | |
| Pueblo County | $13,390 | $11,081 | $9,942 | $8,598 | $73,803 | 18.1% | |
| Montrose County | $12,350 | $11,076 | $9,404 | $7,249 | $78,074 | 15.8% | |
| Lake County | $12,051 | $10,439 | $8,663 | $10,904 | $98,158 | 12.3% | |
| Archuleta County | $11,601 | $10,842 | $9,849 | $11,630 | $78,896 | 14.7% | |
| Custer County | $11,601 | $10,842 | $9,849 | $7,901 | $72,297 | 16.0% | |
| Mesa County | $11,575 | $10,512 | $9,422 | $9,061 | $83,034 | 13.9% | |
| Dolores County | $11,404 | $10,496 | $9,565 | $7,639 | $91,985 | 12.4% | |
| Montezuma County | $10,104 | $10,501 | $8,187 | $7,639 | $72,887 | 13.9% | |
| Saguache County | $9,729 | $9,729 | $7,127 | $7,072 | $58,552 | 16.6% | |
| Washington County | $9,688 | $15,694 | $15,322 | $9,776 | $69,648 | 13.9% | |
| Rio Blanco County | $9,672 | $14,968 | $14,589 | $7,899 | $84,716 | 11.4% | |
| Costilla County | $9,521 | $7,618 | $7,166 | $7,899 | $49,120 | 19.4% | |
| Crowley County | $9,485 | $7,519 | $7,103 | $7,899 | $62,143 | 15.3% | |
| Rio Grande County | $9,305 | $6,999 | $6,781 | $10,296 | $81,904 | 11.4% | |
| Kit Carson County | $9,240 | $6,809 | $6,664 | $9,441 | $72,062 | 12.8% | |
| Mineral County | $9,175 | $17,113 | $16,302 | $7,072 | $67,344 | 13.6% | |
| Morgan County | $8,970 | $11,284 | $10,176 | $7,020 | $81,066 | 11.1% | |
| Alamosa County | $8,928 | $6,622 | $6,230 | $8,570 | $65,720 | 13.6% | |
| Lincoln County | $8,728 | $10,026 | $9,363 | $7,134 | $89,519 | 9.7% | |
| Fremont County | $8,635 | $7,985 | $12,607 | $8,694 | $73,966 | 11.7% | |
| Logan County | $8,635 | $8,172 | $8,172 | $7,072 | $79,579 | 10.9% | |
| Yuma County | $8,406 | $6,305 | $5,504 | $9,459 | $71,279 | 11.8% | |
| Delta County | $7,930 | $7,379 | $9,994 | $7,418 | $72,437 | 10.9% | |
| Las Animas County | $5,756 | $4,891 | $4,560 | $7,212 | $63,730 | 9.0% | |
| Baca County | $5,400 | $6,594 | $5,949 | $4,750 | $65,735 | 8.2% | |
| Bent County | $5,400 | $6,594 | $5,249 | $4,560 | $53,500 | 10.1% | |
| Cheyenne County | $5,400 | $6,594 | $19,347 | $7,722 | $88,125 | 6.1% | |
| Conejos County | $5,400 | $6,594 | $4,516 | $9,300 | $62,375 | 8.7% | |
| Kiowa County | $5,400 | $6,594 | $5,842 | $7,722 | $60,000 | 9.0% | |
| Otero County | $5,400 | $6,594 | $5,951 | $4,750 | $62,013 | 8.7% | |
| Phillips County | $5,400 | $6,594 | $4,532 | $9,742 | $69,659 | 7.8% | |
| Prowers County | $5,400 | $6,594 | $6,011 | $7,722 | $61,755 | 8.7% | |
| Sedgwick County | $5,400 | $6,594 | $4,807 | $7,722 | $72,031 | 7.5% |
Annual median prices in 2022 data, not quotes. Counties with identical prices are grouped. † 1 of 62 center-based infant prices are Department of Labor estimates: estimated from a different reported price percentile. The rest are not flagged as estimated. How prices are estimated.
Neighboring states
- Kansas$830/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Nebraska$1,163/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Oklahoma$1,124/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Utah$1,199/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Wyoming$907/mo infant, 2026 est.
See how Colorado compares in the full ranking of childcare costs by state.
Frequently asked questions
How much is daycare in Colorado per month?
Center-based infant care in Colorado costs about $1,912 a month in estimated 2026 dollars ($1,564 a month in 2022 federal data). In a center, toddler care runs about $1,666 and preschool about $1,467 a month in 2026 dollars, and home-based infant care about $1,262. These are population-weighted averages across the 62 of Colorado's 64 counties with a price; actual prices vary by provider.
What is the cheapest county for childcare in Colorado?
Denver County has the highest center-based infant price in Colorado, $22,357 a year in 2022 data, and Baca County, Bent County and 7 other counties the lowest, $5,400: a gap of $16,957 a year (314% higher). This compares only the 61 counties whose prices are not flagged as estimated.
How much of a family's income does childcare take in Colorado?
Center-based infant care takes about 17.1% of the median family income in Colorado ($18,768 against $109,592, 2022 data), 2.4× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark. That ranks 7 of 49 for burden, where 1 is the heaviest. Across counties it ranges from 6.1% in Cheyenne County to 22.7% in Huerfano County.
Source: National Database of Childcare Prices, U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, county file NDCP2022.xlsx (2022 data for Colorado). 2026 estimates use the BLS CPI-U day care and preschool index (series CUUR0000SEEB03) to August 2026. Methodology · Download every county (CSV)