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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 Delaware. About $1,259/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
$1,259/ month
County sources 2022 · CPI adjusted to August 2026
- Weekly
- $291
- Monthly
- $1,259
- Annual
- $15,107
A planning estimate for one child. Current tuition and included services vary by provider.
17.8%of median household income
Annual care ÷ $84,954 income. 2020–2024 ACS 5-year.
Prices by age & setting
| Age group | Center | Home-based |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $1,2592022 source | $9022022 source |
| Toddler | $9172022 source | $7582022 source |
| Preschool | $9632022 source | $7632022 source |
| School-age | $5742022 source | $4082022 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County | $965 | $824 | 2022 |
| New Castle County | $1,485 | $962 | 2022 |
| Sussex County | $965 | $821 | 2022 |
Make it your budget
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to work.
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 Delaware.
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.
See limits & applicationQuestions about care
in Delaware.
How much does daycare cost per month in Delaware?
The infant center estimate is $1,259 per month. The underlying source is dated 2022 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 $902 per month, from a 2022 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 $84,954 median household income gives 17.8%. 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 Delaware?
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 2022–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Infant / home | County sources 2022–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Toddler / center | County sources 2022–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Toddler / home | County sources 2022–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Preschool / center | County sources 2022–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Preschool / home | County sources 2022–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| School-age / center | County sources 2022–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| School-age / home | County sources 2022–2022 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.