How much childcare costs in Iowa
Center-based infant care in Iowa costs about $10,564 a year in 2026 dollars (estimate), or $880 a month. In 2022 federal data it was $8,642, 9.5% 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 Iowa'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) | $8,642 | $10,564 | $5,805 | $7,096 |
| Toddler (24 to 35 months) | $7,446 | $9,102 | $5,709 | $6,978 |
| Preschool (36 to 54 months) | $7,446 | $9,102 | $5,709 | $6,978 |
Family child care, in a provider's home, costs about $5,805 a year for an infant in Iowa (2022 data): $2,837, or 33% less than a center.
Childcare cost by county in Iowa
Dallas County has the highest center-based infant price in Iowa, $9,642 a year in 2022 data, and Floyd County the lowest, $7,703: a gap of $1,939 a year (25% higher). These county prices are Department of Labor estimates: estimated from a different reported price percentile.
| County | Center infant | Toddler | Preschool | Home infant | Family income | Infant share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas County | $9,642 | $8,309 | $8,309 | $6,507 | $130,231 | 7.4% |
| Polk County | $9,220 | $7,945 | $7,945 | $6,193 | $99,161 | 9.3% |
| Johnson County | $9,183 | $7,913 | $7,913 | $6,197 | $112,575 | 8.2% |
| Story County | $8,858 | $7,633 | $7,633 | $5,977 | $109,432 | 8.1% |
| Warren County | $8,804 | $7,586 | $7,586 | $5,941 | $107,434 | 8.2% |
| Madison County | $8,763 | $7,551 | $7,551 | $5,913 | $105,706 | 8.3% |
| Pottawattamie County | $8,758 | $7,547 | $7,547 | $5,910 | $84,320 | 10.4% |
| Scott County | $8,750 | $7,539 | $7,539 | $5,877 | $94,696 | 9.2% |
| Black Hawk County | $8,747 | $7,537 | $7,537 | $5,875 | $83,292 | 10.5% |
| Davis County | $8,692 | $7,490 | $7,490 | $5,711 | $89,434 | 9.7% |
| Muscatine County | $8,691 | $7,489 | $7,489 | $5,865 | $82,076 | 10.6% |
| Cedar County | $8,675 | $7,475 | $7,475 | $5,700 | $94,132 | 9.2% |
| Dubuque County | $8,640 | $7,445 | $7,445 | $5,831 | $94,243 | 9.2% |
| Harrison County | $8,634 | $7,440 | $7,440 | $5,673 | $89,443 | 9.7% |
| Linn County | $8,631 | $7,437 | $7,437 | $5,797 | $96,369 | 9.0% |
| Tama County | $8,623 | $7,430 | $7,430 | $5,665 | $78,503 | 11.0% |
| Woodbury County | $8,623 | $7,430 | $7,430 | $5,819 | $86,194 | 10.0% |
| Dickinson County | $8,605 | $7,415 | $7,415 | $5,807 | $96,296 | 8.9% |
| Wapello County | $8,560 | $7,376 | $7,376 | $5,777 | $67,016 | 12.8% |
| Guthrie County | $8,534 | $7,354 | $7,354 | $5,607 | $91,302 | 9.3% |
| Shelby County | $8,524 | $7,345 | $7,345 | $5,752 | $90,041 | 9.5% |
| Lyon County | $8,486 | $7,313 | $7,313 | $5,576 | $86,215 | 9.8% |
| Adams County | $8,484 | $7,311 | $7,311 | $5,574 | $82,639 | 10.3% |
| Des Moines County | $8,483 | $7,310 | $7,310 | $5,725 | $76,866 | 11.0% |
| Hancock County | $8,481 | $7,308 | $7,308 | $5,572 | $82,196 | 10.3% |
| Benton County | $8,479 | $7,306 | $7,306 | $5,571 | $95,589 | 8.9% |
| Boone County | $8,462 | $7,291 | $7,291 | $5,710 | $97,936 | 8.6% |
| Mills County | $8,459 | $7,289 | $7,289 | $5,709 | $100,809 | 8.4% |
| Marion County | $8,434 | $7,268 | $7,268 | $5,691 | $90,188 | 9.4% |
| Washington County | $8,433 | $7,267 | $7,267 | $5,691 | $86,333 | 9.8% |
| Fayette County | $8,425 | $7,259 | $7,259 | $5,535 | $71,025 | 11.9% |
| Grundy County | $8,406 | $7,244 | $7,244 | $5,523 | $94,726 | 8.9% |
| Poweshiek County | $8,396 | $7,235 | $7,235 | $5,666 | $90,108 | 9.3% |
| Louisa County | $8,388 | $7,227 | $7,227 | $5,511 | $83,792 | 10.0% |
| Chickasaw County | $8,382 | $7,223 | $7,223 | $5,507 | $82,976 | 10.1% |
| Marshall County | $8,379 | $7,220 | $7,220 | $5,654 | $85,665 | 9.8% |
| Monona County | $8,379 | $7,220 | $7,220 | $5,506 | $76,144 | 11.0% |
| Hardin County | $8,370 | $7,213 | $7,213 | $5,500 | $80,857 | 10.4% |
| Plymouth County | $8,367 | $7,209 | $7,209 | $5,646 | $94,094 | 8.9% |
| Butler County | $8,365 | $7,208 | $7,208 | $5,496 | $80,578 | 10.4% |
| Hamilton County | $8,356 | $7,200 | $7,200 | $5,639 | $81,270 | 10.3% |
| Delaware County | $8,353 | $7,198 | $7,198 | $5,489 | $90,572 | 9.2% |
| Iowa County | $8,328 | $7,176 | $7,176 | $5,471 | $90,301 | 9.2% |
| Keokuk County | $8,325 | $7,173 | $7,173 | $5,470 | $77,740 | 10.7% |
| Jefferson County | $8,322 | $7,171 | $7,171 | $5,615 | $68,298 | 12.2% |
| Greene County | $8,310 | $7,160 | $7,160 | $5,607 | $80,429 | 10.3% |
| Sioux County | $8,309 | $7,160 | $7,160 | $5,607 | $95,737 | 8.7% |
| Clayton County | $8,308 | $7,158 | $7,158 | $5,458 | $79,698 | 10.4% |
| Jasper County | $8,304 | $7,156 | $7,156 | $5,604 | $81,606 | 10.2% |
| Pocahontas County | $8,302 | $7,154 | $7,154 | $5,455 | $82,009 | 10.1% |
| Kossuth County | $8,301 | $7,153 | $7,153 | $5,602 | $80,048 | 10.4% |
| Cerro Gordo County | $8,285 | $7,139 | $7,139 | $5,591 | $85,924 | 9.6% |
| Bremer County | $8,283 | $7,138 | $7,138 | $5,589 | $98,823 | 8.4% |
| Audubon County | $8,274 | $7,130 | $7,130 | $5,437 | $75,473 | 11.0% |
| Adair County | $8,271 | $7,127 | $7,127 | $5,434 | $87,135 | 9.5% |
| Osceola County | $8,269 | $7,125 | $7,125 | $5,580 | $80,396 | 10.3% |
| Allamakee County | $8,267 | $7,124 | $7,124 | $5,432 | $77,754 | 10.6% |
| Buchanan County | $8,252 | $7,111 | $7,111 | $5,569 | $86,875 | 9.5% |
| Fremont County | $8,251 | $7,110 | $7,110 | $5,422 | $83,844 | 9.8% |
| Clinton County | $8,223 | $7,086 | $7,086 | $5,549 | $80,614 | 10.2% |
| Ringgold County | $8,213 | $7,077 | $7,077 | $5,396 | $84,615 | 9.7% |
| Calhoun County | $8,194 | $7,061 | $7,061 | $5,384 | $79,333 | 10.3% |
| Buena Vista County | $8,186 | $7,054 | $7,054 | $5,524 | $87,475 | 9.4% |
| Worth County | $8,176 | $7,045 | $7,045 | $5,372 | $87,750 | 9.3% |
| Mahaska County | $8,171 | $7,041 | $7,041 | $5,514 | $81,257 | 10.1% |
| Lee County | $8,170 | $7,040 | $7,040 | $5,514 | $75,154 | 10.9% |
| Lucas County | $8,164 | $7,035 | $7,035 | $5,509 | $77,927 | 10.5% |
| Winneshiek County | $8,151 | $7,024 | $7,024 | $5,501 | $88,023 | 9.3% |
| Clay County | $8,092 | $6,973 | $6,973 | $5,461 | $84,432 | 9.6% |
| Webster County | $8,091 | $6,972 | $6,972 | $5,460 | $82,733 | 9.8% |
| Appanoose County | $8,062 | $6,947 | $6,947 | $5,440 | $60,169 | 13.4% |
| Monroe County | $8,061 | $6,946 | $6,946 | $5,440 | $89,814 | 9.0% |
| Van Buren County | $8,050 | $6,936 | $6,936 | $5,289 | $70,893 | 11.4% |
| Page County | $8,046 | $6,933 | $6,933 | $5,430 | $72,199 | 11.1% |
| Jackson County | $8,043 | $6,931 | $6,931 | $5,428 | $85,615 | 9.4% |
| Crawford County | $8,027 | $6,917 | $6,917 | $5,417 | $73,892 | 10.9% |
| Ida County | $8,022 | $6,912 | $6,912 | $5,270 | $80,050 | 10.0% |
| Henry County | $8,016 | $6,907 | $6,907 | $5,410 | $80,893 | 9.9% |
| Emmet County | $8,015 | $6,907 | $6,907 | $5,409 | $76,332 | 10.5% |
| Wright County | $8,012 | $6,904 | $6,904 | $5,406 | $72,665 | 11.0% |
| Mitchell County | $8,009 | $6,901 | $6,901 | $5,405 | $88,707 | 9.0% |
| Taylor County | $8,001 | $6,894 | $6,894 | $5,257 | $76,854 | 10.4% |
| Montgomery County | $7,983 | $6,879 | $6,879 | $5,387 | $75,911 | 10.5% |
| Sac County | $7,968 | $6,866 | $6,866 | $5,235 | $87,162 | 9.1% |
| Howard County | $7,963 | $6,862 | $6,862 | $5,374 | $81,250 | 9.8% |
| Franklin County | $7,953 | $6,853 | $6,853 | $5,367 | $72,089 | 11.0% |
| Carroll County | $7,946 | $6,846 | $6,846 | $5,362 | $90,243 | 8.8% |
| Union County | $7,945 | $6,846 | $6,846 | $5,361 | $78,482 | 10.1% |
| Wayne County | $7,939 | $6,841 | $6,841 | $5,217 | $77,570 | 10.2% |
| Clarke County | $7,938 | $6,840 | $6,840 | $5,357 | $70,580 | 11.2% |
| Jones County | $7,936 | $6,839 | $6,839 | $5,355 | $88,862 | 8.9% |
| Cass County | $7,922 | $6,827 | $6,827 | $5,346 | $83,435 | 9.5% |
| O'Brien County | $7,914 | $6,820 | $6,820 | $5,341 | $89,832 | 8.8% |
| Decatur County | $7,911 | $6,817 | $6,817 | $5,197 | $66,754 | 11.9% |
| Winnebago County | $7,836 | $6,753 | $6,753 | $5,288 | $86,098 | 9.1% |
| Humboldt County | $7,830 | $6,747 | $6,747 | $5,284 | $81,036 | 9.7% |
| Cherokee County | $7,796 | $6,718 | $6,718 | $5,261 | $90,243 | 8.6% |
| Palo Alto County | $7,736 | $6,666 | $6,666 | $5,220 | $86,020 | 9.0% |
| Floyd County | $7,703 | $6,638 | $6,638 | $5,198 | $86,950 | 8.9% |
Annual median prices in 2022 data, not quotes. Counties with identical prices are grouped. All 99 center-based infant prices here are Department of Labor estimates: estimated from a different reported price percentile. How prices are estimated.
Neighboring states
- Illinois$1,500/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Minnesota$1,711/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Missouri$1,270/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Nebraska$1,163/mo infant, 2026 est.
- South Dakota$791/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Wisconsin$1,362/mo infant, 2026 est.
See how Iowa compares in the full ranking of childcare costs by state.
Frequently asked questions
How much is daycare in Iowa per month?
Center-based infant care in Iowa costs about $880 a month in estimated 2026 dollars ($720 a month in 2022 federal data). In a center, toddler care runs about $758 and preschool about $758 a month in 2026 dollars, and home-based infant care about $591. These are population-weighted averages across Iowa's counties; actual prices vary by provider.
What is the cheapest county for childcare in Iowa?
Dallas County has the highest center-based infant price in Iowa, $9,642 a year in 2022 data, and Floyd County the lowest, $7,703: a gap of $1,939 a year (25% higher). These county prices are Department of Labor estimates: estimated from a different reported price percentile.
How much of a family's income does childcare take in Iowa?
Center-based infant care takes about 9.5% of the median family income in Iowa ($8,642 against $90,851, 2022 data), 1.4× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark. That ranks 46 of 49 for burden, where 1 is the heaviest. Across counties it ranges from 7.4% in Dallas County to 13.4% in Appanoose County.
Source: National Database of Childcare Prices, U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, county file NDCP2022.xlsx (2022 data for Iowa). 2026 estimates use the BLS CPI-U day care and preschool index (series CUUR0000SEEB03) to August 2026. Methodology · Download every county (CSV)