Is it worth going back to work?
See what a second income leaves after taxes, childcare and commuting.
Open calculator: Worth workingCity income, county childcare prices
Daycare costs in Cary, NC. About $1,628/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
$1,628/ month
Source 2022 · CPI adjusted to August 2026
- Weekly
- $376
- Monthly
- $1,628
- Annual
- $19,532
A planning estimate for one child. Current tuition and included services vary by provider.
14.5%of median household income
Annual care ÷ $134,905 income. 2020–2024 ACS 5-year.
Prices by age & setting
| Age group | Center | Home-based |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $1,6282022 source | $1,1472022 source |
| Toddler | $1,3302022 source | $1,0672022 source |
| Preschool | $9992022 source | $1,0712022 source |
| School-age | $5272022 source | $5912022 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.
The city and the county
A clear geography
behind the estimate.
The displayed care prices come from Wake County. Income comes from Cary.
Primary county is the county containing the largest ACS-estimated share of the place population. This city spans more than one county; a provider elsewhere in the city may face a different market.
County mapping: Census ACS 2024. Historical Connecticut counties are kept separate from current planning regions.
A little context
What this number
means locally.
3 / 100
Rank within North Carolina
Highest price ranks first, for infant center care. Ties use the same rank.
$1,163
State monthly comparison
Population-weighted mean of available infant center county medians.
11.7%
Share of median family income
$166,301 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Chatham County, NC | $1,205 | 2022 |
| Durham County, NC | $1,679 | 2022 |
| Franklin County, NC | $1,061 | 2022 |
| Granville County, NC | $1,061 | 2022 |
| Harnett County, NC | $1,042 | 2022 |
| Johnston County, NC | $1,147 | 2022 |
| Nash County, NC | $833 | 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 North Carolina.
The January 2025 federal table lists $5,000 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 Cary.
How much does daycare cost per month in Cary, NC?
The infant center estimate is $1,628 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 $1,147 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 $134,905 median household income gives 14.5%. 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 North Carolina?
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 | $307.29 | × 1.222352 |
| Infant / home | DOL NDCP 2022 | $216.53 | × 1.222352 |
| Toddler / center | DOL NDCP 2022 | $251.17 | × 1.222352 |
| Toddler / home | DOL NDCP 2022 | $201.43 | × 1.222352 |
| Preschool / center | DOL NDCP 2022 | $188.64 | × 1.222352 |
| Preschool / home | DOL NDCP 2022 | $202.14 | × 1.222352 |
| School-age / center | DOL NDCP 2022 | $99.45 | × 1.222352 |
| School-age / home | DOL NDCP 2022 | $111.59 | × 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.