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See what a second income leaves after taxes, childcare and commuting.
Open calculator: Worth workingDaycare costs by state
Daycare costs in Vermont. About $1,754/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
$21,051/ year
County sources 2021 · CPI adjusted to August 2026
- Weekly
- $405
- Monthly
- $1,754
- Annual
- $21,051
A planning estimate for one child. Current tuition and included services vary by provider.
25.9%of median household income
Annual care ÷ $81,203 income. 2020–2024 ACS 5-year.
Prices by age & setting
| Age group | Center | Home-based |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $21,0512021 source | $13,2432021 source |
| Toddler | $20,2012021 source | $13,0322021 source |
| Preschool | $20,6092021 source | $13,1462021 source |
| School-age | $15,4182021 source | $11,0612021 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addison County | $1,939 | $1,137 | 2021 |
| Bennington County | $1,574 | $1,022 | 2021 |
| Caledonia County | $1,420 | $1,050 | 2021 |
| Chittenden County | $1,994 | $1,124 | 2021 |
| Essex County | $1,683 | $1,067 | 2021 |
| Franklin County | $1,548 | $1,219 | 2021 |
| Grand Isle County | $1,903 | $1,273 | 2021 |
| Lamoille County | $1,727 | $1,187 | 2021 |
| Orange County | $1,757 | $1,143 | 2021 |
| Orleans County | $1,421 | $996 | 2021 |
| Rutland County | $1,799 | $1,059 | 2021 |
| Washington County | $1,629 | $1,159 | 2021 |
| Windham County | $1,654 | $919 | 2021 |
| Windsor County | $1,724 | $1,112 | 2021 |
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 Vermont.
The January 2025 federal table lists $10,400 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 Vermont.
How much does daycare cost per month in Vermont?
The infant center estimate is $1,754 per month. The underlying source is dated 2021 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 $1,104 per month, from a 2021 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 $81,203 median household income gives 25.9%. 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 Vermont?
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 2021–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Infant / home | County sources 2021–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Toddler / center | County sources 2021–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Toddler / home | County sources 2021–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Preschool / center | County sources 2021–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Preschool / home | County sources 2021–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| School-age / center | County sources 2021–2021 DOL NDCP | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| School-age / home | County sources 2021–2021 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.