How much childcare costs in Georgia
Center-based infant care in Georgia costs about $10,631 a year in 2026 dollars (estimate), or $886 a month. In 2022 federal data it was $8,697, 10.0% of the median family income and 1.4× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark.
Cost by age and care type
Annual prices for full-time care, averaged across Georgia'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) | $8,697 | $10,631 | $7,343 | $8,976 |
| Toddler (24 to 35 months) | $8,026 | $9,811 | $6,739 | $8,237 |
| Preschool (36 to 54 months) | $7,713 | $9,428 | $6,782 | $8,290 |
Family child care, in a provider's home, costs about $7,343 a year for an infant in Georgia (2022 data): $1,354, or 16% less than a center.
Childcare cost by county in Georgia
Camden County, Cherokee County and 12 other counties have the highest center-based infant price in Georgia, $10,660 a year in 2022 data, and Chatham County the lowest, $5,330: a gap of $5,330 a year (100% higher). These county prices are Department of Labor estimates: estimated from the state's surveys in other years.
| County | Center infant | Toddler | Preschool | Home infant | Family income | Infant share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 countiesCamden County, Cherokee County, Clayton County, Cobb County, DeKalb County, Douglas County, Fayette County, Forsyth County, Fulton County, Gwinnett County, Hall County, Henry County, Paulding County, Rockdale County | $10,660 | $9,766 | $9,308 | $8,476 | $62,391 to $144,747 | 7.4 to 17.1% |
| Putnam County | $7,748 | $7,176 | $6,864 | $6,916 | $80,052 | 9.7% |
44 countiesBaldwin County, Barrow County, Bartow County, Bibb County, Bryan County, Bulloch County, Butts County, Catoosa County, Clarke County, Columbia County, Coweta County, Dawson County, Dougherty County, Effingham County, Floyd County, Glynn County, Gordon County, Harris County, Hart County, Houston County, Jackson County, Jones County, Lamar County, Lee County, Liberty County, Lowndes County, Lumpkin County, Madison County, McDuffie County, Meriwether County, Morgan County, Murray County, Muscogee County, Newton County, Oconee County, Peach County, Pike County, Pulaski County, Richmond County, Spalding County, Tift County, Troup County, Walton County, Whitfield County | $7,436 | $6,916 | $6,638 | $6,760 | $54,050 to $133,014 | 5.6 to 13.8% |
99 countiesAppling County, Atkinson County, Bacon County, Baker County, Banks County, Ben Hill County, Berrien County, Bleckley County, Brantley County, Brooks County, Burke County, Calhoun County, Candler County, Carroll County, Charlton County, Chattahoochee County, Chattooga County, Clay County, Clinch County, Coffee County, Colquitt County, Cook County, Crawford County, Crisp County, Dade County, Decatur County, Dodge County, Dooly County, Early County, Echols County, Elbert County, Emanuel County, Evans County, Fannin County, Franklin County, Gilmer County, Glascock County, Grady County, Greene County, Habersham County, Hancock County, Haralson County, Heard County, Irwin County, Jasper County, Jeff Davis County, Jefferson County, Jenkins County, Johnson County, Lanier County, Laurens County, Lincoln County, Long County, Macon County, Marion County, McIntosh County, Miller County, Mitchell County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Oglethorpe County, Pickens County, Pierce County, Polk County, Quitman County, Rabun County, Randolph County, Schley County, Screven County, Seminole County, Stephens County, Stewart County, Sumter County, Talbot County, Taliaferro County, Tattnall County, Taylor County, Telfair County, Terrell County, Thomas County, Toombs County, Towns County, Treutlen County, Turner County, Twiggs County, Union County, Upson County, Walker County, Ware County, Warren County, Washington County, Wayne County, Webster County, Wheeler County, White County, Wilcox County, Wilkes County, Wilkinson County, Worth County | $5,642 | $5,304 | $5,304 | $5,356 | $34,813 to $92,679 | 6.1 to 16.2% |
| Chatham County | $5,330 | $5,044 | $5,096 | $5,200 | $81,441 | 6.5% |
Annual median prices in 2022 data, not quotes. Counties with identical prices are grouped. All 159 center-based infant prices here are Department of Labor estimates: estimated from the state's surveys in other years. How prices are estimated.
Neighboring states
- Alabama$718/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Florida$1,193/mo infant, 2026 est.
- North Carolina$1,160/mo infant, 2026 est.
- South Carolina$978/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Tennessee$999/mo infant, 2026 est.
See how Georgia compares in the full ranking of childcare costs by state.
Frequently asked questions
How much is daycare in Georgia per month?
Center-based infant care in Georgia costs about $886 a month in estimated 2026 dollars ($725 a month in 2022 federal data). In a center, toddler care runs about $818 and preschool about $786 a month in 2026 dollars, and home-based infant care about $748. These are population-weighted averages across Georgia's counties; actual prices vary by provider.
What is the cheapest county for childcare in Georgia?
Camden County, Cherokee County and 12 other counties have the highest center-based infant price in Georgia, $10,660 a year in 2022 data, and Chatham County the lowest, $5,330: a gap of $5,330 a year (100% higher). These county prices are Department of Labor estimates: estimated from the state's surveys in other years.
How much of a family's income does childcare take in Georgia?
Center-based infant care takes about 10.0% of the median family income in Georgia ($8,697 against $86,642, 2022 data), 1.4× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark. That ranks 45 of 49 for burden, where 1 is the heaviest. Across counties it ranges from 5.6% in Oconee County to 17.1% in Clayton County.
Source: National Database of Childcare Prices, U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, county file NDCP2022.xlsx (2022 data for Georgia). 2026 estimates use the BLS CPI-U day care and preschool index (series CUUR0000SEEB03) to August 2026. Methodology · Download every county (CSV)