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 Ohio. About $1,405/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
$1,405/ month
County sources 2022 · CPI adjusted to August 2026
- Weekly
- $324
- Monthly
- $1,405
- Annual
- $16,859
A planning estimate for one child. Current tuition and included services vary by provider.
23.6%of median household income
Annual care ÷ $71,389 income. 2020–2024 ACS 5-year.
Prices by age & setting
| Age group | Center | Home-based |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $1,4052022 source | $9982022 source |
| Toddler | $1,2662022 source | $9552022 source |
| Preschool | $1,1092022 source | $8832022 source |
| School-age | $7352022 source | $7802022 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noble County | $1,175 | $900 | 2022 |
| Ottawa County | $1,175 | $900 | 2022 |
| Paulding County | $919 | $821 | 2022 |
| Perry County | $1,175 | $900 | 2022 |
| Pickaway County | $919 | $821 | 2022 |
| Pike County | $919 | $821 | 2022 |
| Portage County | $1,563 | $1,059 | 2022 |
| Preble County | $1,175 | $900 | 2022 |
| Putnam County | $919 | $821 | 2022 |
| Richland County | $919 | $821 | 2022 |
| Ross County | $919 | $821 | 2022 |
| Sandusky County | $1,175 | $900 | 2022 |
| Scioto County | $919 | $821 | 2022 |
| Seneca County | $919 | $821 | 2022 |
| Shelby County | $919 | $821 | 2022 |
| Stark County | $1,175 | $900 | 2022 |
| Summit County | $1,563 | $1,059 | 2022 |
| Trumbull County | $1,563 | $1,059 | 2022 |
| Tuscarawas County | $1,175 | $900 | 2022 |
| Union County | $1,563 | $1,059 | 2022 |
| Van Wert County | $919 | $821 | 2022 |
| Vinton County | $919 | $821 | 2022 |
| Warren County | $1,563 | $1,059 | 2022 |
| Washington County | $919 | $821 | 2022 |
| Wayne County | $1,175 | $900 | 2022 |
| Williams County | $919 | $821 | 2022 |
| Wood County | $1,175 | $900 | 2022 |
| Wyandot County | $919 | $821 | 2022 |
City pages in Ohio
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 Ohio.
The January 2025 federal table lists $3,625 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 Ohio.
How much does daycare cost per month in Ohio?
The infant center estimate is $1,405 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 $998 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 $71,389 median household income gives 23.6%. 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 Ohio?
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.