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See what a second income leaves after taxes, childcare and commuting.
Open calculator: Worth workingDaycare costs by state
Daycare costs in Arkansas. About $709/month for infant center care, CPI adjusted to August 2026.
A starting point across the state. Explore your county for the more local picture.
Infant care in a center
$709/ month
County sources 2018–2021 · CPI adjusted to August 2026
- Weekly
- $164
- Monthly
- $709
- Annual
- $8,510
A planning estimate for one child. Current tuition and included services vary by provider.
14.0%of median household income
Annual care ÷ $60,773 income. 2020–2024 ACS 5-year.
Prices by age & setting
| Age group | Center | Home-based |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $7092018 source | $5822018 source |
| Toddler | $6972018 source | $5462018 source |
| Preschool | $6222018 source | $5162018 source |
| School-age | $5242018 source | $4942018 source |
One child. Weekly × 52 ÷ 12 for monthly; weekly × 52 for annual. School-age coverage varies and often means care around school hours. Age definitions.
Population-weighted mean of available county medians. Each county is adjusted before averaging. Coverage varies by age and setting; this is not an official statewide median.
Get closer to home
Explore your county.
Each local page shows available age groups, source years, income context and nearby counties.
| County | Center | Home-based | Source year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Randolph County | $564 | $509 | 2021 |
| St. Francis County | $586 | $526 | 2018 |
| Saline County | $812 | $633 | 2021 |
| Scott County | $564 | $509 | 2021 |
| Searcy County | $564 | $509 | 2021 |
| Sebastian County | $482 | $468 | 2021 |
| Sevier County | $564 | $509 | 2021 |
| Sharp County | $564 | $509 | 2021 |
| Stone County | $564 | $509 | 2021 |
| Union County | $564 | $509 | 2021 |
| Van Buren County | $564 | $509 | 2021 |
| Washington County | $812 | $633 | 2021 |
| White County | $564 | $509 | 2021 |
| Woodruff County | $586 | $526 | 2018 |
| Yell County | $564 | $509 | 2021 |
City pages in Arkansas
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Use a calculator to compare costs with your own income and provider quotes.
Daycare vs. nanny
Compare center, home-based care, a nanny and a nanny share—including employer taxes.
Open calculator: Daycare vs. nannyDependent care FSA vs. tax credit
Compare federal tax benefits with the rules for 2025 and 2026.
Open calculator: FSA vs. tax creditChildcare subsidy income check
Compare your income with published state limits and find the application.
Open calculator: Subsidy income checkHelp paying for care
Check the assistance
available in Arkansas.
The January 2025 federal table lists $6,133 per month as the initial income threshold for a family of four.
Current limits and other eligibility rules may differ.
See limits & applicationQuestions about care
in Arkansas.
How much does daycare cost per month in Arkansas?
The infant center estimate is $709 per month. The underlying source is dated 2018 and is adjusted to August 2026 with the childcare CPI. Individual provider quotes vary.
How much is home-based childcare?
The infant home-based estimate is $582 per month, from a 2018 source adjusted to August 2026.
Does the estimate include deposits and extra fees?
The county figure is a tuition benchmark. Deposits, registration, supplies, meals, late pickup and paid closures may be billed separately. Ask for a written payment schedule.
What does the share of income mean?
Annual center care divided by $60,773 median household income gives 14.0%. Income comes from 2020–2024 ACS 5-year. The periods differ, so this is an illustrative comparison, not a current household survey.
Can I get help paying for daycare in Arkansas?
The state assistance page links to the current program. Income is only one part of eligibility; work or education, your child’s age, assets and available funding can also matter.
Sources behind this page.
Retrieved 2026-10-01. The displayed figures are rounded; calculations use unrounded values.
| Age / setting | Source | Original weekly | CPI factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant / center | County sources 2018–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Infant / home | County sources 2018–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Toddler / center | County sources 2018–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Toddler / home | County sources 2018–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Preschool / center | County sources 2018–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Preschool / home | County sources 2018–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| School-age / center | County sources 2018–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| School-age / home | County sources 2018–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
CPI: BLS CUUR0000SEEB03, August 2026 index 403.749, divided by the source-year annual index. NDCP values may be age-derived, converted, clustered or imputed. Read the method and limitations.
Income: 2020–2024 ACS 5-year, median household B19013 and median family B19113. Income is not CPI adjusted.
Subsidy: ACF January 2025 initial income table; confirm current rules through the state application.