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Open calculator: Worth workingDaycare costs by state
Daycare costs in Massachusetts. About $2,330/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
$538/ week
County sources 2022 · CPI adjusted to August 2026
- Weekly
- $538
- Monthly
- $2,330
- Annual
- $27,957
A planning estimate for one child. Current tuition and included services vary by provider.
26.9%of median household income
Annual care ÷ $103,960 income. 2020–2024 ACS 5-year.
Prices by age & setting
| Age group | Center | Home-based |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $5382022 source | $3332022 source |
| Toddler | $4802022 source | $3052022 source |
| Preschool | $3742022 source | $2842022 source |
| School-age | $2552022 source | $2862022 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable County | $1,864 | $1,457 | 2022 |
| Berkshire County | $1,748 | $1,192 | 2022 |
| Bristol County | $1,864 | $1,457 | 2022 |
| Dukes County | $1,864 | $1,457 | 2022 |
| Essex County | $2,445 | $1,324 | 2022 |
| Franklin County | $1,748 | $1,192 | 2022 |
| Hampden County | $1,748 | $1,192 | 2022 |
| Hampshire County | $1,748 | $1,192 | 2022 |
| Middlesex County | $2,445 | $1,324 | 2022 |
| Nantucket County | $1,864 | $1,457 | 2022 |
| Norfolk County | $2,940 | $1,959 | 2022 |
| Plymouth County | $1,864 | $1,457 | 2022 |
| Suffolk County | $3,125 | $1,695 | 2022 |
| Worcester County | $2,067 | $1,324 | 2022 |
City pages in Massachusetts
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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 Massachusetts.
The January 2025 federal table lists $6,062 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 Massachusetts.
How much does daycare cost per month in Massachusetts?
The infant center estimate is $2,330 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 $1,442 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 $103,960 median household income gives 26.9%. 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 Massachusetts?
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.