How much childcare costs in Florida
Center-based infant care in Florida costs about $14,316 a year in 2026 dollars (estimate), or $1,193 a month. In 2022 federal data it was $11,712, 14.0% of the median family income and 2.0× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark.
Cost by age and care type
Annual prices for full-time care, averaged across the 53 of Florida's 67 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) | $11,712 | $14,316 | $9,222 | $11,273 |
| Toddler (24 to 35 months) | $9,396 | $11,485 | $8,079 | $9,875 |
| Preschool (36 to 54 months) | $8,665 | $10,592 | $7,724 | $9,441 |
Family child care, in a provider's home, costs about $9,222 a year for an infant in Florida (2022 data): $2,490, or 21% less than a center.
Childcare cost by county in Florida
Palm Beach County has the highest center-based infant price in Florida, $15,860 a year in 2022 data, and Suwannee County the lowest, $6,760: a gap of $9,100 a year (135% higher). This compares only the 52 counties whose prices are not flagged as estimated.
The federal file has a center-based infant price for 53 of Florida's 67 counties in 2022. The state figures above average only those counties.
| County | Center infant | Toddler | Preschool | Home infant | Family income | Infant share | Est. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Beach County | $15,860 | $12,753 | $11,440 | $10,400 | $93,221 | 17.0% | |
| Pinellas County | $15,600 | $9,620 | $8,684 | $12,740 | $89,479 | 17.4% | |
| St. Johns County | $14,560 | $12,740 | $12,220 | $7,800 | $119,534 | 12.2% | |
| Alachua County | $13,000 | $9,490 | $8,320 | $12,220 | $89,713 | 14.5% | |
| Seminole County | $12,948 | $10,400 | $9,880 | $9,100 | $96,839 | 13.4% | |
| Hillsborough County | $12,480 | $9,880 | $9,100 | $9,100 | $86,250 | 14.5% | |
| Martin County | $12,480 | $9,880 | $9,100 | n/a | $96,881 | 12.9% | |
| Santa Rosa County | $12,220 | $9,360 | $8,580 | $8,320 | $98,722 | 12.4% | |
| St. Lucie County | $12,220 | $9,360 | $8,736 | $8,580 | $75,649 | 16.2% | |
| Broward County | $12,116 | $9,880 | $9,360 | $9,620 | $83,825 | 14.5% | |
| Polk County | $11,960 | $8,060 | $7,280 | $10,400 | $69,667 | 17.2% | |
| Collier County | $11,708 | $10,140 | $9,672 | $9,100 | $98,919 | 11.8% | |
| Duval County | $11,700 | $9,516 | $8,580 | $9,100 | $79,233 | 14.8% | |
| Okaloosa County | $11,700 | $9,620 | $8,580 | $8,648 | $91,891 | 12.7% | |
| Orange County | $11,700 | $9,360 | $8,320 | $9,607 | $83,625 | 14.0% | |
| Pasco County | $11,700 | $8,840 | $8,580 | $9,100 | $80,612 | 14.5% | |
| Sumter County | $11,700 | $9,620 | $9,100 | n/a | $82,977 | 14.1% | |
| Flagler County | $11,440 | $9,880 | $8,840 | $8,580 | $80,702 | 14.2% | |
| Manatee County | $11,440 | $9,620 | $8,580 | $8,320 | $88,147 | 13.0% | |
| Bay County | $11,180 | $9,360 | $8,580 | $8,406 | $77,037 | 14.5% | |
| Sarasota County | $10,920 | $10,028 | $9,620 | $10,400 | $94,139 | 11.6% | |
| Osceola County | $10,556 | $8,840 | $8,320 | $7,800 | $71,239 | 14.8% | |
| Brevard County | $10,400 | $8,684 | $8,060 | $10,400 | $87,701 | 11.9% | |
| 2 countiesCalhoun County, Jackson County | $10,400 | $8,320 | $7,540 | n/a | $58,273 to $65,776 | 15.8 to 17.8% | |
| Clay County | $10,400 | $8,840 | $8,060 | $9,100 | $92,384 | 11.3% | |
| Lake County | $10,400 | $8,736 | $8,580 | $9,100 | $80,569 | 12.9% | |
| Lee County | $10,400 | $8,320 | $7,800 | $7,800 | $81,979 | 12.7% | |
| Miami-Dade County | $10,400 | $8,840 | $8,060 | $7,800 | $71,621 | 14.5% | |
| Monroe County | $10,400 | $9,360 | $9,100 | $7,800 | $95,165 | 10.9% | |
| Volusia County | $10,400 | $8,320 | $7,800 | $8,580 | $76,486 | 13.6% | |
| Walton County | $10,400 | $8,840 | $8,320 | $8,008 | $91,969 | 11.3% | |
| Charlotte County | $10,348 | $9,360 | $8,944 | $11,960 | $73,880 | 14.0% | |
| Nassau County | $9,880 | $8,648 | $8,320 | $8,298 | $96,039 | 10.3% | |
| Escambia County | $9,620 | $8,107 | $7,540 | $8,648 | $74,479 | 12.9% | |
| Indian River County | $9,620 | $8,320 | $7,800 | $7,800 | $81,181 | 11.9% | |
| Marion County | $9,620 | $8,060 | $7,384 | $9,360 | $66,666 | 14.4% | |
| Leon County | $9,360 | $8,216 | $7,805 | $7,805 | $89,114 | 10.5% | |
| Bradford County | $9,100 | $8,580 | $7,540 | n/a | $71,767 | 12.7% | † |
| Citrus County | $9,100 | $7,280 | $6,760 | $6,760 | $66,464 | 13.7% | |
| Hendry County | $9,100 | $8,060 | $7,644 | $8,320 | $53,267 | 17.1% | |
| Levy County | $9,100 | $6,500 | $6,240 | n/a | $60,961 | 14.9% | |
| Wakulla County | $9,006 | $6,846 | $6,544 | n/a | $84,357 | 10.7% | |
| Highlands County | $8,840 | $7,280 | $7,020 | n/a | $62,914 | 14.1% | |
| Hernando County | $8,580 | $6,500 | $5,980 | $7,800 | $69,993 | 12.3% | |
| Putnam County | $8,167 | $6,570 | $5,720 | $6,092 | $57,256 | 14.3% | |
| Columbia County | $8,112 | $6,760 | $6,136 | n/a | $70,757 | 11.5% | |
| Hardee County | $7,800 | $6,760 | $6,240 | n/a | $52,250 | 14.9% | |
| Jefferson County | $7,800 | $7,280 | $6,318 | n/a | $69,690 | 11.2% | |
| Baker County | $7,280 | $6,500 | $5,980 | n/a | $81,512 | 8.9% | |
| Madison County | $7,280 | $6,240 | $6,240 | $6,500 | $56,621 | 12.9% | |
| Gadsden County | $7,150 | $5,980 | $5,460 | n/a | $56,527 | 12.6% | |
| Suwannee County | $6,760 | $5,720 | $5,200 | n/a | $58,070 | 11.6% | |
| DeSoto County | n/a | $5,720 | $5,720 | n/a | $53,743 | n/a | |
| Hamilton County | n/a | n/a | n/a | $9,360 | $52,202 | n/a | |
| Holmes County | n/a | $8,320 | $7,540 | n/a | $55,802 | n/a | |
| Taylor County | n/a | $5,340 | $4,869 | $9,360 | $54,890 | n/a | |
| Washington County | n/a | n/a | n/a | $6,500 | $60,172 | n/a |
Annual median prices in 2022 data, not quotes. Counties with identical prices are grouped. † 1 of 53 center-based infant prices are Department of Labor estimates: estimated from the state's surveys in other years. The rest are not flagged as estimated. How prices are estimated.
Neighboring states
See how Florida compares in the full ranking of childcare costs by state.
Frequently asked questions
How much is daycare in Florida per month?
Center-based infant care in Florida costs about $1,193 a month in estimated 2026 dollars ($976 a month in 2022 federal data). In a center, toddler care runs about $957 and preschool about $883 a month in 2026 dollars, and home-based infant care about $939. These are population-weighted averages across the 53 of Florida's 67 counties with a price; actual prices vary by provider.
What is the cheapest county for childcare in Florida?
Palm Beach County has the highest center-based infant price in Florida, $15,860 a year in 2022 data, and Suwannee County the lowest, $6,760: a gap of $9,100 a year (135% higher). This compares only the 52 counties whose prices are not flagged as estimated.
How much of a family's income does childcare take in Florida?
Center-based infant care takes about 14.0% of the median family income in Florida ($11,712 against $83,410, 2022 data), 2.0× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark. That ranks 23 of 49 for burden, where 1 is the heaviest. Across counties it ranges from 8.9% in Baker County to 17.8% in Jackson County.
Source: National Database of Childcare Prices, U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, county file NDCP2022.xlsx (2022 data for Florida). 2026 estimates use the BLS CPI-U day care and preschool index (series CUUR0000SEEB03) to August 2026. Methodology · Download every county (CSV)