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 Indiana.
A starting point across the state. Explore your county for the more local picture.
Infant care in a center
A price isn’t available here.
The federal file does not report a usable infant center estimate for this place. We keep that gap visible. Enter your provider’s quote in a calculator.
Plan with your own quotePrices by age & setting
| Age group | Center | Home-based |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | Not reported | Not reported |
| Toddler | Not reported | Not reported |
| Preschool | Not reported | Not reported |
| School-age | Not reported | Not reported |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parke County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Perry County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Pike County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Porter County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Posey County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Pulaski County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Putnam County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Randolph County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Ripley County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Rush County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| St. Joseph County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Scott County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Shelby County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Spencer County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Starke County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Steuben County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Sullivan County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Switzerland County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Tippecanoe County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Tipton County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Union County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Vanderburgh County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Vermillion County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Vigo County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Wabash County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Warren County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Warrick County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Washington County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Wayne County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Wells County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| White County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
| Whitley County | Not available | Not available | Not reported |
City pages in Indiana
Make it your budget
Put the numbers
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 Indiana.
The January 2025 federal table lists $3,900 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 Indiana.
How much does daycare cost per month in Indiana?
The federal file does not contain a usable center price here. We show that gap rather than replacing it with a national price. Use a current provider quote in the calculators.
How much is home-based childcare?
A home-based estimate is not reported for this age group. Ask licensed providers for their current tuition.
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?
The required income or childcare value is unavailable, so no share is calculated.
Can I get help paying for daycare in Indiana?
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.
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.