Is it worth going back to work?
See what a second income leaves after taxes, childcare and commuting.
Open calculator: Worth workingLocal childcare costs
Daycare costs in Pondera County, MT. About $1,153/month for infant center care, CPI adjusted to August 2026.
Compare ages and care settings, then put the estimate beside your own budget.
Infant care in a center
$13,836/ year
Source 2022 · CPI adjusted to August 2026
- Weekly
- $266
- Monthly
- $1,153
- Annual
- $13,836
A planning estimate for one child. Current tuition and included services vary by provider.
26.4%of median household income
Annual care ÷ $52,338 income. 2020–2024 ACS 5-year.
Prices by age & setting
| Age group | Center | Home-based |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $13,8362022 source | $11,1682022 source |
| Toddler | $14,3442022 source | $11,3772022 source |
| Preschool | $12,3542022 source | $11,3772022 source |
| School-age | $12,3542022 source | $10,5602022 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.
A little context
What this number
means locally.
30 / 56
Rank within Montana
Highest price ranks first, for infant center care. Ties use the same rank.
$1,180
State monthly comparison
Population-weighted mean of available infant center county medians.
18.9%
Share of median family income
$73,125 median family income, 2024 ACS. A separate comparison from household income.
Nearby places
The counties
next door.
Actual county neighbors from the Census adjacency file. These are estimates for each county’s market.
| County | Monthly estimate | Source year |
|---|---|---|
| Chouteau County, MT | $1,131 | 2022 |
| Flathead County, MT | $1,176 | 2022 |
| Glacier County, MT | $1,099 | 2022 |
| Liberty County, MT | $1,156 | 2022 |
| Teton County, MT | $1,275 | 2022 |
| Toole County, MT | $1,092 | 2022 |
Make it your budget
Put the numbers
to work.
Open a calculator with this county’s estimate prefilled. Edit it to match your provider’s quote.
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 Montana.
The January 2025 federal table lists $4,810 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 Pondera County.
How much does daycare cost per month in Pondera County, MT?
The infant center estimate is $1,153 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 $931 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 $52,338 median household income gives 26.4%. 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 Montana?
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 | DOL NDCP 2022 | $217.67 | × 1.222352 |
| Infant / home | DOL NDCP 2022 | $175.70 | × 1.222352 |
| Toddler / center | DOL NDCP 2022 | $225.67 | × 1.222352 |
| Toddler / home | DOL NDCP 2022 | $178.99 | × 1.222352 |
| Preschool / center | DOL NDCP 2022 | $194.36 | × 1.222352 |
| Preschool / home | DOL NDCP 2022 | $178.99 | × 1.222352 |
| School-age / center | DOL NDCP 2022 | $194.36 | × 1.222352 |
| School-age / home | DOL NDCP 2022 | $166.13 | × 1.222352 |
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.