How much childcare costs in West Virginia
Center-based infant care in West Virginia costs about $10,687 a year in 2026 dollars (estimate), or $891 a month. In 2022 federal data it was $8,743, 12.4% of the median family income and 1.8× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark.
Cost by age and care type
Annual prices for full-time care, averaged across West Virginia'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) | $8,743 | $10,687 | $7,915 | $9,675 |
| Toddler (24 to 35 months) | $8,310 | $10,158 | $7,881 | $9,633 |
| Preschool (36 to 54 months) | $8,507 | $10,399 | $8,099 | $9,900 |
Family child care, in a provider's home, costs about $7,915 a year for an infant in West Virginia (2022 data): $828, or 9% less than a center.
Childcare cost by county in West Virginia
Hardy County has the highest center-based infant price in West Virginia, $10,141 a year in 2022 data, and Clay County the lowest, $7,512: a gap of $2,629 a year (35% higher). These county prices are Department of Labor estimates: estimated from the state's surveys in other years; estimated from a different reported price percentile.
| County | Center infant | Toddler | Preschool | Home infant | Family income | Infant share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardy County | $10,141 | $9,630 | $9,860 | $8,865 | $57,922 | 17.5% |
| Summers County | $10,126 | $9,613 | $9,584 | $8,843 | $61,955 | 16.3% |
| Lincoln County | $9,822 | $9,319 | $7,305 | $6,849 | $56,184 | 17.5% |
| Logan County | $9,817 | $9,319 | $9,292 | $8,573 | $51,057 | 19.2% |
| Hampshire County | $9,783 | $9,286 | $9,252 | $8,539 | $68,312 | 14.3% |
| Tucker County | $9,630 | $9,138 | $7,158 | $6,711 | $69,038 | 13.9% |
| Wyoming County | $9,630 | $9,143 | $9,122 | $8,413 | $51,001 | 18.9% |
| Boone County | $9,601 | $9,115 | $9,093 | $8,387 | $70,401 | 13.6% |
| Monroe County | $9,542 | $9,057 | $9,028 | $8,331 | $65,034 | 14.7% |
| Preston County | $9,511 | $9,032 | $9,248 | $8,315 | $73,144 | 13.0% |
| Nicholas County | $9,508 | $9,025 | $8,993 | $8,300 | $64,918 | 14.6% |
| Jackson County | $9,483 | $9,008 | $9,233 | $8,293 | $72,829 | 13.0% |
| Tyler County | $9,475 | $8,998 | $9,207 | $8,282 | $79,181 | 12.0% |
| Braxton County | $9,460 | $8,978 | $8,947 | $8,257 | $46,045 | 20.5% |
| Morgan County | $9,428 | $8,961 | $9,227 | $8,260 | $73,192 | 12.9% |
| Ritchie County | $9,317 | $8,844 | $8,811 | $8,132 | $59,295 | 15.7% |
| Pendleton County | $9,301 | $8,825 | $6,960 | $8,113 | $63,016 | 14.8% |
| Wirt County | $9,293 | $7,044 | $6,831 | $6,404 | $61,745 | 15.1% |
| Barbour County | $9,289 | $8,818 | $8,792 | $8,111 | $55,686 | 16.7% |
| Roane County | $9,285 | $8,808 | $6,833 | $6,406 | $50,082 | 18.5% |
| Pocahontas County | $9,268 | $8,803 | $9,018 | $8,104 | $60,893 | 15.2% |
| Mineral County | $9,231 | $8,765 | $8,971 | $8,434 | $84,081 | 11.0% |
| Gilmer County | $9,221 | $8,751 | $6,959 | $6,701 | $64,795 | 14.2% |
| Berkeley County | $9,188 | $8,753 | $9,167 | $8,534 | $85,110 | 10.8% |
| Wetzel County | $9,144 | $8,686 | $8,918 | $8,373 | $69,497 | 13.2% |
| Grant County | $9,127 | $8,664 | $8,640 | $7,971 | $69,000 | 13.2% |
| Wayne County | $9,059 | $8,609 | $8,846 | $8,303 | $67,605 | 13.4% |
| Randolph County | $9,018 | $8,567 | $8,799 | $8,260 | $64,084 | 14.1% |
| Upshur County | $9,010 | $8,562 | $8,806 | $8,261 | $64,231 | 14.0% |
| Taylor County | $8,979 | $8,533 | $8,765 | $8,227 | $68,553 | 13.1% |
| Mason County | $8,937 | $8,485 | $8,468 | $8,161 | $70,809 | 12.6% |
| Lewis County | $8,930 | $8,483 | $8,703 | $8,173 | $69,138 | 12.9% |
| Webster County | $8,874 | $8,424 | $8,396 | $7,748 | $55,534 | 16.0% |
| Fayette County | $8,838 | $8,395 | $8,608 | $8,087 | $61,952 | 14.3% |
| Raleigh County | $8,836 | $8,401 | $8,671 | $8,123 | $65,294 | 13.5% |
| Mercer County | $8,757 | $8,325 | $8,587 | $8,046 | $63,142 | 13.9% |
| Hancock County | $8,749 | $8,317 | $8,577 | $8,038 | $76,098 | 11.5% |
| Mingo County | $8,709 | $8,273 | $8,479 | $7,617 | $51,270 | 17.0% |
| Marion County | $8,660 | $8,242 | $8,572 | $8,004 | $76,710 | 11.3% |
| Calhoun County | $8,657 | $8,222 | $8,418 | $7,569 | $47,735 | 18.1% |
| Greenbrier County | $8,654 | $8,230 | $8,508 | $7,965 | $61,170 | 14.1% |
| Jefferson County | $8,594 | $8,201 | $8,698 | $8,054 | $113,853 | 7.5% |
| Doddridge County | $8,547 | $8,120 | $8,338 | $7,480 | $72,813 | 11.7% |
| Putnam County | $8,485 | $8,084 | $8,478 | $7,888 | $90,102 | 9.4% |
| Marshall County | $8,469 | $8,051 | $8,299 | $7,779 | $70,136 | 12.1% |
| Harrison County | $8,458 | $8,052 | $8,383 | $7,823 | $77,645 | 10.9% |
| Wood County | $8,449 | $8,039 | $8,349 | $7,801 | $72,942 | 11.6% |
| Kanawha County | $8,194 | $7,805 | $8,155 | $7,599 | $72,983 | 11.2% |
| Brooke County | $8,102 | $7,703 | $7,959 | $7,452 | $73,380 | 11.0% |
| Pleasants County | $8,079 | $7,680 | $7,920 | $7,422 | $76,622 | 10.5% |
| Cabell County | $8,065 | $7,683 | $8,043 | $7,489 | $68,234 | 11.8% |
| Monongalia County | $7,934 | $7,570 | $8,003 | $7,420 | $99,540 | 8.0% |
| McDowell County | $7,788 | $7,343 | $7,120 | $6,675 | $37,380 | 20.8% |
| Ohio County | $7,627 | $7,269 | $7,634 | $7,098 | $85,875 | 8.9% |
| Clay County | $7,512 | $7,083 | $6,869 | $6,440 | $55,011 | 13.7% |
Annual median prices in 2022 data, not quotes. Counties with identical prices are grouped. All 55 center-based infant prices here are Department of Labor estimates: estimated from the state's surveys in other years; estimated from a different reported price percentile. How prices are estimated.
Neighboring states
- Kentucky$844/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Maryland$1,748/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Ohio$1,404/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Pennsylvania$1,240/mo infant, 2026 est.
- Virginia$1,382/mo infant, 2026 est.
See how West Virginia compares in the full ranking of childcare costs by state.
Frequently asked questions
How much is daycare in West Virginia per month?
Center-based infant care in West Virginia costs about $891 a month in estimated 2026 dollars ($729 a month in 2022 federal data). In a center, toddler care runs about $846 and preschool about $867 a month in 2026 dollars, and home-based infant care about $806. These are population-weighted averages across West Virginia's counties; actual prices vary by provider.
What is the cheapest county for childcare in West Virginia?
Hardy County has the highest center-based infant price in West Virginia, $10,141 a year in 2022 data, and Clay County the lowest, $7,512: a gap of $2,629 a year (35% higher). These county prices are Department of Labor estimates: estimated from the state's surveys in other years; estimated from a different reported price percentile.
How much of a family's income does childcare take in West Virginia?
Center-based infant care takes about 12.4% of the median family income in West Virginia ($8,743 against $70,318, 2022 data), 1.8× the HHS 7% affordability benchmark. That ranks 30 of 49 for burden, where 1 is the heaviest. Across counties it ranges from 7.5% in Jefferson County to 20.8% in McDowell County.
Source: National Database of Childcare Prices, U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, county file NDCP2022.xlsx (2022 data for West Virginia). 2026 estimates use the BLS CPI-U day care and preschool index (series CUUR0000SEEB03) to August 2026. Methodology · Download every county (CSV)