How much childcare costs in South Dakota
Center-based infant care in South Dakota costs about $9,489 a year in 2026 dollars (estimate), or $791 a month. In 2022 federal data it was $7,763, 8.7% of the median family income and 1.2× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark.
Cost by age and care type
Annual prices for full-time care, averaged across South Dakota'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) | $7,763 | $9,489 | $5,632 | $6,884 |
| Toddler (24 to 35 months) | $7,763 | $9,489 | $5,632 | $6,884 |
| Preschool (36 to 54 months) | $7,251 | $8,863 | $5,524 | $6,752 |
Family child care, in a provider's home, costs about $5,632 a year for an infant in South Dakota (2022 data): $2,131, or 27% less than a center.
Childcare cost by county in South Dakota
Lincoln County and Minnehaha County have the highest center-based infant price in South Dakota, $9,277 a year in 2022 data, and Aurora County, Beadle County and 51 other counties the lowest, $6,240: a gap of $3,037 a year (49% higher).
| County | Center infant | Toddler | Preschool | Home infant | Family income | Infant share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 countiesLincoln County, Minnehaha County | $9,277 | $9,277 | $8,694 | $6,219 | $95,190 to $106,841 | 8.7 to 9.7% |
| Pennington County | $8,008 | $8,008 | $7,550 | $5,990 | $85,972 | 9.3% |
10 countiesBrookings County, Brown County, Clay County, Codington County, Davison County, Hughes County, Lake County, Lawrence County, Union County, Yankton County | $7,800 | $7,800 | $7,093 | $5,325 | $85,844 to $100,727 | 7.7 to 9.1% |
53 countiesAurora County, Beadle County, Bennett County, Bon Homme County, Brule County, Buffalo County, Butte County, Campbell County, Charles Mix County, Clark County, Corson County, Custer County, Day County, Deuel County, Dewey County, Douglas County, Edmunds County, Fall River County, Faulk County, Grant County, Gregory County, Haakon County, Hamlin County, Hand County, Hanson County, Harding County, Hutchinson County, Hyde County, Jackson County, Jerauld County, Jones County, Kingsbury County, Lyman County, Marshall County, McCook County, McPherson County, Meade County, Mellette County, Miner County, Moody County, Oglala Lakota County, Perkins County, Potter County, Roberts County, Sanborn County, Spink County, Stanley County, Sully County, Todd County, Tripp County, Turner County, Walworth County, Ziebach County | $6,240 | $6,240 | $5,928 | $5,200 | $33,578 to $107,404 | 5.8 to 18.6% |
Annual median prices in 2022 data, not quotes. Counties with identical prices are grouped. None of these center-based infant prices is flagged as estimated in the federal file. How prices are estimated.
Neighboring states
- Iowa$880/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Minnesota$1,711/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Montana$1,180/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Nebraska$1,163/mo infant, 2026 est.
- North Dakota$1,140/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Wyoming$907/mo infant, 2026 est.
See how South Dakota compares in the full ranking of childcare costs by state.
Frequently asked questions
How much is daycare in South Dakota per month?
Center-based infant care in South Dakota costs about $791 a month in estimated 2026 dollars ($647 a month in 2022 federal data). In a center, toddler care runs about $791 and preschool about $739 a month in 2026 dollars, and home-based infant care about $574. These are population-weighted averages across South Dakota's counties; actual prices vary by provider.
What is the cheapest county for childcare in South Dakota?
Lincoln County and Minnehaha County have the highest center-based infant price in South Dakota, $9,277 a year in 2022 data, and Aurora County, Beadle County and 51 other counties the lowest, $6,240: a gap of $3,037 a year (49% higher).
How much of a family's income does childcare take in South Dakota?
Center-based infant care takes about 8.7% of the median family income in South Dakota ($7,763 against $89,573, 2022 data), 1.2× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark. That ranks 49 of 49 for burden, where 1 is the heaviest. Across counties it ranges from 5.8% in Stanley County to 18.6% in Oglala Lakota County.
Source: National Database of Childcare Prices, U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, county file NDCP2022.xlsx (2022 data for South Dakota). 2026 estimates use the BLS CPI-U day care and preschool index (series CUUR0000SEEB03) to August 2026. Methodology · Download every county (CSV)