Is it worth going back to work?
See what a second income leaves after taxes, childcare and commuting.
Open calculator: Worth workingLocal childcare costs
Preschool daycare costs in Lancaster County, PA. About $1,097/month for preschool center care, CPI adjusted to August 2026.
Compare ages and care settings, then put the estimate beside your own budget.
Preschool care in a center
$1,097/ month
Source 2020 · CPI adjusted to August 2026
- Weekly
- $253
- Monthly
- $1,097
- Annual
- $13,160
A planning estimate for one child. Current tuition and included services vary by provider.
15.1%of median household income
Annual care ÷ $86,959 income. 2020–2024 ACS 5-year.
Prices by age & setting
| Age group | Center | Home-based |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $1,5122020 source | $8412020 source |
| Toddler | $1,2512020 source | $7292020 source |
| Preschool | $1,0972020 source | $7292020 source |
| School-age | $9482020 source | $7012020 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.
8 / 67
Rank within Pennsylvania
Highest price ranks first, for preschool center care. Ties use the same rank.
$1,047
State monthly comparison
Population-weighted mean of available preschool center county medians.
12.6%
Share of median family income
$104,406 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cecil County, MD | $1,348 | 2022 |
| Harford County, MD | $1,721 | 2022 |
| Berks County, PA | $1,206 | 2020 |
| Chester County, PA | $1,706 | 2020 |
| Dauphin County, PA | $1,279 | 2020 |
| Lebanon County, PA | $1,049 | 2020 |
| York County, PA | $1,128 | 2020 |
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 Pennsylvania.
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 & applicationQuestions about care
in Lancaster County.
How much does daycare cost per month in Lancaster County, PA?
The preschool center estimate is $1,097 per month. The underlying source is dated 2020 and is adjusted to August 2026 with the childcare CPI. Individual provider quotes vary.
How much is home-based childcare?
The preschool home-based estimate is $729 per month, from a 2020 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 $86,959 median household income gives 15.1%. 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 Pennsylvania?
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 2020 | $269.60 | × 1.294532 |
| Infant / home | DOL NDCP 2020 | $150.00 | × 1.294532 |
| Toddler / center | DOL NDCP 2020 | $223.00 | × 1.294532 |
| Toddler / home | DOL NDCP 2020 | $130.00 | × 1.294532 |
| Preschool / center | DOL NDCP 2020 | $195.50 | × 1.294532 |
| Preschool / home | DOL NDCP 2020 | $130.00 | × 1.294532 |
| School-age / center | DOL NDCP 2020 | $169.00 | × 1.294532 |
| School-age / home | DOL NDCP 2020 | $125.00 | × 1.294532 |
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.