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
A starting point across the state. Explore your county for the more local picture.
Infant care in a center
$1,688/ month
County sources 2022 · CPI adjusted to August 2026
A planning estimate for one child. Current tuition and included services vary by provider.
Annual care ÷ $83,011 income. 2020–2024 ACS 5-year.
| Age group | Center | Home-based |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $1,6882022 source | $1,1352022 source |
| Toddler | $1,5572022 source | $1,0352022 source |
| Preschool | $1,2322022 source | $9702022 source |
| School-age | $4802022 source | $8442022 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
Each local page shows available age groups, source years, income context and nearby counties.
| County | Center | Home-based | Source year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baker County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Benton County | $1,802 | $1,240 | 2022 |
| Clackamas County | $1,896 | $1,216 | 2022 |
| Clatsop County | $1,229 | $1,101 | 2022 |
| Columbia County | $1,445 | $1,062 | 2022 |
| Coos County | $1,264 | $917 | 2022 |
| Crook County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Curry County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Deschutes County | $1,780 | $1,266 | 2022 |
| Douglas County | $1,122 | $917 | 2022 |
| Gilliam County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Grant County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Harney County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Hood River County | $1,813 | $917 | 2022 |
| Jackson County | $1,387 | $917 | 2022 |
| Jefferson County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Josephine County | $1,383 | $917 | 2022 |
| Klamath County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Lake County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Lane County | $1,745 | $1,227 | 2022 |
| Lincoln County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Linn County | $1,248 | $917 | 2022 |
| Malheur County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Marion County | $1,370 | $917 | 2022 |
| Morrow County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Multnomah County | $2,156 | $1,325 | 2022 |
| Polk County | $1,256 | $1,020 | 2022 |
| Sherman County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Tillamook County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Umatilla County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Union County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Wallowa County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Wasco County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Washington County | $2,037 | $1,293 | 2022 |
| Wheeler County | $1,045 | $917 | 2022 |
| Yamhill County | $1,560 | $917 | 2022 |
Make it your budget
Use a calculator to compare costs with your own income and provider quotes.
See what a second income leaves after taxes, childcare and commuting.
Open calculator: Worth workingCompare center, home-based care, a nanny and a nanny share—including employer taxes.
Open calculator: Daycare vs. nannyCompare federal tax benefits with the rules for 2025 and 2026.
Open calculator: FSA vs. tax creditCompare your income with published state limits and find the application.
Open calculator: Subsidy income checkHelp paying for care
The January 2025 federal table lists $5,200 per month as the initial income threshold for a family of four.
Current limits and other eligibility rules may differ.
See limits & applicationThe infant center estimate is $1,688 per month. The underlying source is dated 2022 and is adjusted to August 2026 with the childcare CPI. Individual provider quotes vary.
The infant home-based estimate is $1,135 per month, from a 2022 source adjusted to August 2026.
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.
Annual center care divided by $83,011 median household income gives 24.4%. Income comes from 2020–2024 ACS 5-year. The periods differ, so this is an illustrative comparison, not a current household survey.
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.
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.