How much childcare costs in Pennsylvania
Center-based infant care in Pennsylvania costs about $14,882 a year in 2026 dollars (estimate), or $1,240 a month. In 2020 federal data it was $11,496, 14.2% 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 Pennsylvania's counties and weighted by population. 2026 figures are estimates scaled by the BLS day care and preschool CPI to August 2026.
| Age | Center, 2020 | Center, 2026 est. | Home, 2020 | Home, 2026 est. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (0 to 23 months) | $11,496 | $14,882 | $8,736 | $11,309 |
| Toddler (24 to 35 months) | $10,405 | $13,470 | $8,185 | $10,596 |
| Preschool (36 to 54 months) | $9,689 | $12,543 | $7,911 | $10,241 |
Family child care, in a provider's home, costs about $8,736 a year for an infant in Pennsylvania (2020 data): $2,760, or 24% less than a center.
Childcare cost by county in Pennsylvania
Chester County has the highest center-based infant price in Pennsylvania, $15,818 a year in 2020 data, and Somerset County the lowest, $6,422: a gap of $9,396 a year (146% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester County | $15,818 | $14,248 | $12,324 | $10,920 | $126,738 | 12.5% |
| Montgomery County | $15,548 | $13,624 | $12,740 | $10,920 | $116,171 | 13.4% |
| Bucks County | $14,326 | $12,740 | $11,752 | $8,580 | $111,488 | 12.8% |
| Lancaster County | $14,019 | $11,596 | $10,166 | $7,800 | $82,568 | 17.0% |
| Mercer County | $12,993 | $11,440 | $9,145 | $10,010 | $67,068 | 19.4% |
| Cumberland County | $12,506 | $10,400 | $10,452 | $8,320 | $89,867 | 13.9% |
| Centre County | $12,472 | $12,548 | $11,700 | $6,240 | $90,415 | 13.8% |
| Philadelphia County | $12,220 | $10,660 | $10,140 | $9,880 | $58,090 | 21.0% |
| Delaware County | $12,025 | $10,707 | $10,660 | $9,880 | $99,246 | 12.1% |
| Dauphin County | $11,856 | $10,270 | $8,580 | $8,580 | $80,304 | 14.8% |
| Perry County | $11,596 | $11,180 | $9,620 | $6,500 | $82,737 | 14.0% |
| Juniata County | $11,440 | $10,400 | $8,905 | $6,565 | $69,013 | 16.6% |
| Washington County | $11,440 | $10,660 | $10,400 | $10,660 | $83,838 | 13.6% |
| Allegheny County | $11,331 | $10,708 | $10,010 | $8,580 | $87,363 | 13.0% |
| Sullivan County | $11,232 | $10,400 | $9,360 | $8,060 | $63,295 | 17.7% |
| Berks County | $11,180 | $10,140 | $9,360 | $9,360 | $81,425 | 13.7% |
| Butler County | $11,128 | $10,140 | $9,802 | $8,060 | $93,970 | 11.8% |
| Lackawanna County | $11,115 | $9,750 | $8,752 | $9,360 | $70,489 | 15.8% |
| Adams County | $11,076 | $10,452 | $9,100 | $6,370 | $84,709 | 13.1% |
| Susquehanna County | $10,660 | $10,400 | $9,620 | $7,930 | $69,213 | 15.4% |
| Wayne County | $10,660 | $8,125 | $7,761 | $9,100 | $68,739 | 15.5% |
| Westmoreland County | $10,660 | $9,854 | $9,360 | $8,840 | $79,375 | 13.4% |
| Northampton County | $10,608 | $9,776 | $8,944 | $8,060 | $88,307 | 12.0% |
| Indiana County | $10,595 | $9,360 | $9,282 | $7,540 | $66,743 | 15.9% |
| York County | $10,452 | $10,036 | $9,308 | $7,150 | $82,154 | 12.7% |
| Erie County | $10,400 | $9,620 | $8,554 | $8,060 | $68,789 | 15.1% |
| Lawrence County | $10,400 | $10,530 | $9,360 | $9,360 | $65,721 | 15.8% |
| Luzerne County | $10,140 | $8,580 | $8,060 | $7,670 | $69,552 | 14.6% |
| Mifflin County | $10,075 | $9,311 | $8,580 | $6,565 | $59,395 | 17.0% |
| Wyoming County | $10,036 | $9,620 | $8,580 | $7,930 | $71,812 | 14.0% |
| Lehigh County | $9,880 | $9,256 | $8,840 | $8,840 | $79,173 | 12.5% |
| Lebanon County | $9,724 | $9,464 | $9,464 | $8,840 | $76,282 | 12.7% |
| Bradford County | $9,646 | $9,230 | $8,190 | $7,930 | $65,230 | 14.8% |
| Beaver County | $9,620 | $9,360 | $9,100 | $10,400 | $75,674 | 12.7% |
| Crawford County | $9,594 | $9,360 | $7,956 | $8,970 | $62,959 | 15.2% |
| Venango County | $9,594 | $9,828 | $8,604 | $8,190 | $62,848 | 15.3% |
| Pike County | $9,568 | $8,580 | $8,320 | $9,100 | $80,881 | 11.8% |
| Greene County | $9,360 | $9,100 | $8,840 | $10,010 | $72,365 | 12.9% |
| Monroe County | $9,360 | $8,320 | $7,800 | $9,100 | $79,538 | 11.8% |
| Armstrong County | $9,100 | $8,580 | $8,580 | $9,100 | $66,803 | 13.6% |
| Fayette County | $9,100 | $9,100 | $8,580 | $8,840 | $63,219 | 14.4% |
| Franklin County | $8,580 | $7,904 | $7,800 | $7,020 | $75,297 | 11.4% |
| Tioga County | $8,476 | $7,540 | $7,020 | $6,500 | $61,621 | 13.8% |
| Clinton County | $8,424 | $7,540 | $6,500 | $6,370 | $64,229 | 13.1% |
| Lycoming County | $8,424 | $7,384 | $5,980 | $6,500 | $66,824 | 12.6% |
| Potter County | $8,424 | $7,540 | $6,500 | $6,630 | $60,833 | 13.8% |
| Cameron County | $8,385 | $7,540 | $6,760 | $6,500 | $50,294 | 16.7% |
| 3 countiesElk County, McKean County, Warren County | $8,385 | $7,540 | $6,760 | $6,370 | $62,203 to $70,267 | 11.9 to 13.5% |
| Blair County | $8,060 | $8,060 | $8,372 | $6,370 | $67,495 | 11.9% |
| Clarion County | $8,060 | $8,320 | $7,345 | $7,410 | $65,826 | 12.2% |
| Clearfield County | $8,060 | $8,320 | $7,345 | $6,305 | $61,323 | 13.1% |
| Forest County | $8,060 | $8,320 | $7,345 | $7,280 | $50,758 | 15.9% |
| Jefferson County | $8,060 | $8,320 | $7,345 | $7,280 | $62,071 | 13.0% |
| Columbia County | $7,995 | $7,865 | $7,280 | $6,370 | $68,239 | 11.7% |
| Montour County | $7,995 | $7,865 | $8,008 | $5,460 | $76,260 | 10.5% |
| 2 countiesSnyder County, Union County | $7,995 | $7,865 | $8,008 | $6,370 | $68,933 to $74,586 | 10.7 to 11.6% |
| Northumberland County | $7,475 | $7,345 | $7,020 | $7,150 | $64,777 | 11.5% |
| Carbon County | $7,410 | $6,760 | $6,890 | $6,500 | $71,416 | 10.4% |
| Schuylkill County | $7,410 | $6,760 | $7,020 | $7,150 | $66,377 | 11.2% |
| 2 countiesBedford County, Fulton County | $7,332 | $7,280 | $6,828 | $6,500 | $64,891 to $64,903 | 11.3% |
| Huntingdon County | $7,332 | $7,280 | $6,828 | $6,208 | $67,087 | 10.9% |
| Cambria County | $6,822 | $6,500 | $6,500 | $6,500 | $65,560 | 10.4% |
| Somerset County | $6,422 | $5,720 | $5,720 | $5,980 | $64,862 | 9.9% |
Annual median prices in 2020 data, not quotes. Counties with identical prices are grouped. All 67 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
- Delaware$1,263/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Maryland$1,748/mo infant, 2026 est.
- New Jersey$1,627/mo infant, 2026 est.
- New York$1,565/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Ohio$1,404/mo infant, 2026 est.
- West Virginia$891/mo infant, 2026 est.
See how Pennsylvania compares in the full ranking of childcare costs by state.
Frequently asked questions
How much is daycare in Pennsylvania per month?
Center-based infant care in Pennsylvania costs about $1,240 a month in estimated 2026 dollars ($958 a month in 2020 federal data). In a center, toddler care runs about $1,122 and preschool about $1,045 a month in 2026 dollars, and home-based infant care about $942. These are population-weighted averages across Pennsylvania's counties; actual prices vary by provider.
What is the cheapest county for childcare in Pennsylvania?
Chester County has the highest center-based infant price in Pennsylvania, $15,818 a year in 2020 data, and Somerset County the lowest, $6,422: a gap of $9,396 a year (146% 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 Pennsylvania?
Center-based infant care takes about 14.2% of the median family income in Pennsylvania ($11,496 against $80,996, 2020 data), 2.0× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark. That ranks 22 of 49 for burden, where 1 is the heaviest. Across counties it ranges from 9.9% in Somerset County to 21.0% in Philadelphia County.
Source: National Database of Childcare Prices, U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, county file NDCP2022.xlsx (2020 data for Pennsylvania). 2026 estimates use the BLS CPI-U day care and preschool index (series CUUR0000SEEB03) to August 2026. Methodology · Download every county (CSV)