Is it worth going back to work?
See what a second income leaves after taxes, childcare and commuting.
Open calculator: Worth workingDaycare costs by state
Daycare costs in Illinois. About $1,475/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
$1,475/ month
County sources 2020–2022 · CPI adjusted to August 2026
- Weekly
- $340
- Monthly
- $1,475
- Annual
- $17,699
A planning estimate for one child. Current tuition and included services vary by provider.
21.2%of median household income
Annual care ÷ $83,390 income. 2020–2024 ACS 5-year.
Prices by age & setting
| Age group | Center | Home-based |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $1,4752020 source | $1,0362020 source |
| Toddler | $1,1952020 source | $9792020 source |
| Preschool | $1,0972020 source | $9102020 source |
| School-age | $3812020 source | $2722020 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County | $872 | $662 | 2022 |
| Marshall County | $940 | $701 | 2020 |
| Mason County | $940 | $1,015 | 2020 |
| Massac County | $940 | $701 | 2020 |
| Menard County | $1,005 | $839 | 2022 |
| Mercer County | $975 | $839 | 2022 |
| Monroe County | $1,063 | $930 | 2022 |
| Montgomery County | $1,011 | $839 | 2022 |
| Morgan County | $1,195 | $962 | 2022 |
| Moultrie County | $1,011 | $980 | 2022 |
| Ogle County | $1,351 | $904 | 2022 |
| Peoria County | $1,476 | $993 | 2022 |
| Perry County | $940 | $996 | 2022 |
| Piatt County | $940 | $839 | 2020 |
| Pike County | $940 | $556 | 2020 |
| Pope County | $940 | $701 | 2020 |
| Pulaski County | $940 | $701 | 2020 |
| Putnam County | $940 | $701 | 2020 |
| Randolph County | $1,222 | $662 | 2022 |
| Richland County | $940 | $955 | 2020 |
| Rock Island County | $1,492 | $984 | 2022 |
| St. Clair County | $1,261 | $984 | 2022 |
| Saline County | $1,187 | $1,039 | 2022 |
| Sangamon County | $1,037 | $957 | 2022 |
| Schuyler County | $940 | $486 | 2020 |
| Scott County | $940 | $701 | 2020 |
| Shelby County | $940 | $701 | 2020 |
| Stark County | $940 | $701 | 2020 |
| Stephenson County | $940 | $955 | 2020 |
| Tazewell County | $1,485 | $957 | 2022 |
| Union County | $940 | $701 | 2020 |
| Vermilion County | $940 | $955 | 2022 |
| Wabash County | $940 | $701 | 2020 |
| Warren County | $940 | $697 | 2020 |
| Washington County | $940 | $701 | 2020 |
| Wayne County | $1,399 | $662 | 2022 |
| White County | $1,399 | $701 | 2022 |
| Whiteside County | $1,252 | $851 | 2022 |
| Will County | $1,612 | $993 | 2022 |
| Williamson County | $1,399 | $980 | 2022 |
| Winnebago County | $1,492 | $851 | 2022 |
| Woodford County | $1,415 | $781 | 2022 |
City pages in Illinois
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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 Illinois.
The January 2025 federal table lists $5,850 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 Illinois.
How much does daycare cost per month in Illinois?
The infant center estimate is $1,475 per month. The underlying source is dated 2020 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 $1,036 per month, from a 2020 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 $83,390 median household income gives 21.2%. 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 Illinois?
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 2020–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Infant / home | County sources 2020–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Toddler / center | County sources 2020–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Toddler / home | County sources 2020–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Preschool / center | County sources 2020–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Preschool / home | County sources 2020–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| School-age / center | County sources 2020–2022 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| School-age / home | County sources 2020–2022 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.