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Open calculator: Worth workingDaycare costs by state
Daycare costs in Colorado. About $1,912/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
$22,945/ year
County sources 2015–2022 · CPI adjusted to August 2026
- Weekly
- $441
- Monthly
- $1,912
- Annual
- $22,945
A planning estimate for one child. Current tuition and included services vary by provider.
24.0%of median household income
Annual care ÷ $95,470 income. 2020–2024 ACS 5-year.
Prices by age & setting
| Age group | Center | Home-based |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $22,9452015 source | $15,1432015 source |
| Toddler | $19,9922015 source | $14,1212015 source |
| Preschool | $17,5982015 source | $14,1212015 source |
| School-age | $12,6442015 source | $11,7532015 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.
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Each local page shows available age groups, source years, income context and nearby counties.
| County | Center | Home-based | Source year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | $2,078 | $1,305 | 2022 |
| Alamosa County | $909 | $873 | 2022 |
| Arapahoe County | $1,999 | $1,360 | 2022 |
| Archuleta County | $1,182 | $1,185 | 2022 |
| Baca County | $550 | $484 | 2022 |
| Bent County | $550 | $465 | 2022 |
| Boulder County | $2,139 | $1,422 | 2022 |
| Broomfield County | $1,808 | $1,648 | 2022 |
| Chaffee County | $1,500 | $1,377 | 2022 |
| Cheyenne County | $550 | $787 | 2022 |
| Clear Creek County | $1,478 | $1,243 | 2022 |
| Conejos County | $550 | $947 | 2022 |
| Costilla County | $970 | $805 | 2022 |
| Crowley County | $966 | $805 | 2022 |
| Custer County | $1,182 | $805 | 2022 |
| Delta County | $808 | $756 | 2022 |
| Denver County | $2,277 | $1,182 | 2022 |
| Dolores County | $1,162 | $778 | 2022 |
| Douglas County | $2,125 | $1,380 | 2022 |
| Eagle County | $1,762 | $1,198 | 2022 |
| Elbert County | $1,486 | $1,354 | 2022 |
| El Paso County | $1,856 | $1,280 | 2022 |
| Fremont County | $880 | $886 | 2022 |
| Garfield County | $1,575 | $1,418 | 2022 |
| Gilpin County | $1,559 | $1,229 | 2022 |
| Grand County | $1,811 | $1,641 | 2022 |
| Gunnison County | $1,510 | $1,143 | 2022 |
| Hinsdale County | $1,905 | $1,176 | 2015 |
| Huerfano County | $1,510 | $778 | 2022 |
| Jackson County | $1,102 | $1,135 | 2015 |
| Jefferson County | $2,199 | $1,435 | 2022 |
| Kiowa County | $550 | $787 | 2022 |
| Kit Carson County | $941 | $962 | 2022 |
| Lake County | $1,228 | $1,111 | 2022 |
| La Plata County | $1,515 | $1,243 | 2022 |
| Larimer County | $2,072 | $1,229 | 2022 |
| Las Animas County | $586 | $735 | 2022 |
| Lincoln County | $889 | $727 | 2022 |
| Logan County | $880 | $720 | 2022 |
| Mesa County | $1,179 | $923 | 2022 |
| Mineral County | $935 | $720 | 2022 |
| Moffat County | $1,544 | $991 | 2022 |
| Montezuma County | $1,029 | $778 | 2022 |
| Montrose County | $1,258 | $738 | 2022 |
| Morgan County | $914 | $715 | 2022 |
| Otero County | $550 | $484 | 2022 |
| Ouray County | $1,935 | $1,332 | 2022 |
| Park County | $2,045 | $1,332 | 2022 |
| Phillips County | $550 | $992 | 2022 |
| Pitkin County | $1,443 | $1,735 | 2022 |
| Prowers County | $550 | $787 | 2022 |
| Pueblo County | $1,364 | $876 | 2022 |
| Rio Blanco County | $985 | $805 | 2022 |
| Rio Grande County | $948 | $1,049 | 2022 |
| Routt County | $1,757 | $1,264 | 2022 |
| Saguache County | $991 | $720 | 2022 |
| San Juan County | $1,559 | $1,229 | 2022 |
| San Miguel County | $2,135 | $1,648 | 2022 |
| Sedgwick County | $550 | $787 | 2022 |
| Summit County | $2,011 | $1,735 | 2022 |
City pages in Colorado
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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 Colorado.
The January 2025 federal table lists $4,625 per month as the initial income threshold for a family of four.
Current limits and other eligibility rules may differ. Colorado’s published example uses its most populous county; local limits vary.
See limits & applicationQuestions about care
in Colorado.
How much does daycare cost per month in Colorado?
The infant center estimate is $1,912 per month. The underlying source is dated 2015 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 $1,262 per month, from a 2015 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 $95,470 median household income gives 24.0%. 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 Colorado?
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 2015–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Infant / home | County sources 2015–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Toddler / center | County sources 2015–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Toddler / home | County sources 2015–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Preschool / center | County sources 2015–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Preschool / home | County sources 2015–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| School-age / center | County sources 2015–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| School-age / home | County sources 2015–2022 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.