How much childcare costs in Mississippi
Center-based infant care in Mississippi costs about $8,360 a year in 2026 dollars (estimate), or $697 a month. In 2022 federal data it was $6,839, 10.2% of the median family income and 1.5× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark.
Cost by age and care type
Annual prices for full-time care, averaged across Mississippi'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) | $6,839 | $8,360 | n/a | n/a |
| Toddler (24 to 35 months) | $6,309 | $7,712 | n/a | n/a |
| Preschool (36 to 54 months) | $6,004 | $7,339 | n/a | n/a |
The federal file has no home-based infant price for Mississippi, so only center prices are shown.
Childcare cost by county in Mississippi
Holmes County has the highest center-based infant price in Mississippi, $8,046 a year in 2022 data, and Lafayette County the lowest, $5,721: a gap of $2,325 a year (41% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holmes County | $8,046 | $7,491 | $6,867 | n/a | $41,083 | 19.6% |
| Benton County | $8,019 | $7,467 | $6,843 | n/a | $53,118 | 15.1% |
| Yazoo County | $7,980 | $7,432 | $6,808 | n/a | $53,792 | 14.8% |
| Perry County | $7,957 | $7,411 | $6,787 | n/a | $49,703 | 16.0% |
| Copiah County | $7,932 | $7,388 | $6,764 | n/a | $60,159 | 13.2% |
| Marshall County | $7,929 | $7,386 | $6,762 | n/a | $61,714 | 12.8% |
| Simpson County | $7,925 | $7,382 | $6,758 | n/a | $61,821 | 12.8% |
| Covington County | $7,923 | $7,380 | $6,756 | n/a | $51,913 | 15.3% |
| Stone County | $7,898 | $7,357 | $6,733 | n/a | $67,300 | 11.7% |
| Tate County | $7,870 | $7,333 | $6,709 | n/a | $68,494 | 11.5% |
| Tunica County | $7,828 | $7,295 | $6,671 | n/a | $50,827 | 15.4% |
| Hancock County | $7,758 | $7,232 | $6,608 | n/a | $79,976 | 9.7% |
| Forrest County | $7,731 | $7,208 | $6,584 | n/a | $62,016 | 12.5% |
| Jackson County | $7,715 | $7,193 | $6,569 | n/a | $76,118 | 10.1% |
| Harrison County | $7,693 | $7,173 | $6,549 | n/a | $68,818 | 11.2% |
| Hinds County | $7,674 | $7,156 | $6,532 | n/a | $62,295 | 12.3% |
| Lamar County | $7,583 | $7,075 | $6,451 | n/a | $80,562 | 9.4% |
| DeSoto County | $7,564 | $7,057 | $6,433 | n/a | $90,760 | 8.3% |
| Rankin County | $7,554 | $7,048 | $6,424 | n/a | $92,709 | 8.1% |
| Madison County | $7,541 | $7,036 | $6,412 | n/a | $101,538 | 7.4% |
| 4 countiesIssaquena County, Kemper County, Tallahatchie County, Wilkinson County | $6,190 | $5,633 | $5,633 | n/a | $45,565 to $63,688 | 9.7 to 13.6% |
| Yalobusha County | $6,174 | $5,619 | $5,619 | n/a | $58,429 | 10.6% |
| Wayne County | $6,171 | $5,617 | $5,617 | n/a | $57,118 | 10.8% |
| Carroll County | $6,169 | $5,614 | $5,614 | n/a | $66,321 | 9.3% |
| Calhoun County | $6,159 | $5,606 | $5,606 | n/a | $57,188 | 10.8% |
| 2 countiesHumphreys County, Tishomingo County | $6,158 | $5,605 | $5,605 | n/a | $34,909 to $67,880 | 9.1 to 17.6% |
| Jefferson County | $6,152 | $5,599 | $5,599 | n/a | $37,130 | 16.6% |
| Tippah County | $6,146 | $5,594 | $5,594 | n/a | $56,358 | 10.9% |
| Webster County | $6,145 | $5,593 | $5,593 | n/a | $71,418 | 8.6% |
| Franklin County | $6,143 | $5,591 | $5,591 | n/a | $51,740 | 11.9% |
| Montgomery County | $6,141 | $5,589 | $5,589 | n/a | $44,414 | 13.8% |
| 2 countiesAttala County, Chickasaw County | $6,139 | $5,587 | $5,587 | n/a | $49,609 to $51,463 | 11.9 to 12.4% |
| Walthall County | $6,135 | $5,584 | $5,584 | n/a | $60,537 | 10.1% |
| 2 countiesChoctaw County, Noxubee County | $6,126 | $5,576 | $5,576 | n/a | $44,909 to $60,489 | 10.1 to 13.6% |
| Smith County | $6,126 | $5,575 | $5,575 | n/a | $70,054 | 8.7% |
| Sharkey County | $6,122 | $5,572 | $5,572 | n/a | $60,076 | 10.2% |
| Quitman County | $6,116 | $5,567 | $5,567 | n/a | $46,029 | 13.3% |
| Greene County | $6,112 | $5,562 | $5,562 | n/a | $63,668 | 9.6% |
| Prentiss County | $6,109 | $5,560 | $5,560 | n/a | $66,901 | 9.1% |
| Leake County | $6,106 | $5,558 | $5,558 | n/a | $56,044 | 10.9% |
| Sunflower County | $6,105 | $5,557 | $5,557 | n/a | $48,760 | 12.5% |
| Jefferson Davis County | $6,102 | $5,554 | $5,554 | n/a | $55,145 | 11.1% |
| Monroe County | $6,098 | $5,550 | $5,550 | n/a | $64,865 | 9.4% |
| Clarke County | $6,093 | $5,546 | $5,546 | n/a | $60,057 | 10.1% |
| Leflore County | $6,090 | $5,544 | $5,544 | n/a | $40,600 | 15.0% |
| Neshoba County | $6,088 | $5,542 | $5,542 | n/a | $56,221 | 10.8% |
| Coahoma County | $6,085 | $5,539 | $5,539 | n/a | $43,603 | 14.0% |
| Amite County | $6,082 | $5,536 | $5,536 | n/a | $43,722 | 13.9% |
| Marion County | $6,077 | $5,532 | $5,532 | n/a | $49,144 | 12.4% |
| Scott County | $6,071 | $5,527 | $5,527 | n/a | $55,340 | 11.0% |
| Adams County | $6,067 | $5,522 | $5,522 | n/a | $50,903 | 11.9% |
| Claiborne County | $6,067 | $5,523 | $5,523 | n/a | $37,063 | 16.4% |
| Itawamba County | $6,064 | $5,520 | $5,520 | n/a | $68,647 | 8.8% |
| Newton County | $6,062 | $5,518 | $5,518 | n/a | $62,017 | 9.8% |
| Pike County | $6,058 | $5,515 | $5,515 | n/a | $48,547 | 12.5% |
| Alcorn County | $6,055 | $5,511 | $5,511 | n/a | $60,382 | 10.0% |
| Grenada County | $6,054 | $5,511 | $5,511 | n/a | $62,879 | 9.6% |
| Pontotoc County | $6,044 | $5,502 | $5,502 | n/a | $70,095 | 8.6% |
| Jones County | $6,042 | $5,501 | $5,501 | n/a | $65,385 | 9.2% |
| Lincoln County | $6,037 | $5,495 | $5,495 | n/a | $64,450 | 9.4% |
| Winston County | $6,037 | $5,496 | $5,496 | n/a | $54,219 | 11.1% |
| Panola County | $6,035 | $5,494 | $5,494 | n/a | $60,911 | 9.9% |
| Jasper County | $6,031 | $5,491 | $5,491 | n/a | $59,944 | 10.1% |
| Union County | $6,026 | $5,486 | $5,486 | n/a | $72,685 | 8.3% |
| George County | $6,021 | $5,481 | $5,481 | n/a | $63,144 | 9.5% |
| Washington County | $6,019 | $5,480 | $5,480 | n/a | $49,517 | 12.2% |
| Bolivar County | $6,015 | $5,476 | $5,476 | n/a | $49,306 | 12.2% |
| Lawrence County | $6,012 | $5,473 | $5,473 | n/a | $52,156 | 11.5% |
| Clay County | $5,991 | $5,454 | $5,454 | n/a | $50,489 | 11.9% |
| Pearl River County | $5,983 | $5,446 | $5,446 | n/a | $67,832 | 8.8% |
| Lauderdale County | $5,965 | $5,431 | $5,431 | n/a | $59,610 | 10.0% |
| Warren County | $5,953 | $5,420 | $5,420 | n/a | $75,172 | 7.9% |
| Lee County | $5,943 | $5,411 | $5,411 | n/a | $80,674 | 7.4% |
| Lowndes County | $5,886 | $5,360 | $5,360 | n/a | $75,009 | 7.8% |
| Oktibbeha County | $5,810 | $5,292 | $5,292 | n/a | $76,076 | 7.6% |
| Lafayette County | $5,721 | $5,211 | $5,211 | n/a | $78,799 | 7.3% |
Annual median prices in 2022 data, not quotes. Counties with identical prices are grouped. All 82 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.
- Arkansas$709/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Louisiana$792/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Tennessee$999/mo infant, 2026 est.
See how Mississippi compares in the full ranking of childcare costs by state.
Frequently asked questions
How much is daycare in Mississippi per month?
Center-based infant care in Mississippi costs about $697 a month in estimated 2026 dollars ($570 a month in 2022 federal data). In a center, toddler care runs about $643 and preschool about $612 a month in 2026 dollars. These are population-weighted averages across Mississippi's counties; actual prices vary by provider.
What is the cheapest county for childcare in Mississippi?
Holmes County has the highest center-based infant price in Mississippi, $8,046 a year in 2022 data, and Lafayette County the lowest, $5,721: a gap of $2,325 a year (41% 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 Mississippi?
Center-based infant care takes about 10.2% of the median family income in Mississippi ($6,839 against $66,973, 2022 data), 1.5× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark. That ranks 41 of 49 for burden, where 1 is the heaviest. Across counties it ranges from 7.3% in Lafayette County to 19.6% in Holmes County.
Source: National Database of Childcare Prices, U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, county file NDCP2022.xlsx (2022 data for Mississippi). 2026 estimates use the BLS CPI-U day care and preschool index (series CUUR0000SEEB03) to August 2026. Methodology · Download every county (CSV)