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Open calculator: Worth workingDaycare costs by state
Daycare costs in Wisconsin. About $1,356/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
$16,274/ year
County sources 2022–2025 · CPI adjusted to August 2026
- Weekly
- $313
- Monthly
- $1,356
- Annual
- $16,274
A planning estimate for one child. Current tuition and included services vary by provider.
21.0%of median household income
Annual care ÷ $77,485 income. 2020–2024 ACS 5-year.
Prices by age & setting
| Age group | Center | Home-based |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $16,2742022 source | $12,2152022 source |
| Toddler | $14,5502022 source | $11,4552022 source |
| Preschool | $14,5502022 source | $11,4552022 source |
| School-age | $12,0312022 source | $10,5002022 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.
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Each local page shows available age groups, source years, income context and nearby counties.
| County | Center | Home-based | Source year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Ashland County | $1,112 | $679 | 2022 |
| Barron County | $1,112 | $634 | 2022 |
| Bayfield County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Brown County | $1,485 | $883 | 2025 |
| Buffalo County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Burnett County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Calumet County | $1,250 | $927 | 2022 |
| Chippewa County | $1,112 | $883 | 2022 |
| Clark County | $964 | $679 | 2022 |
| Columbia County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Crawford County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Dane County | $1,924 | $1,358 | 2025 |
| Dodge County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Door County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Douglas County | $1,250 | $927 | 2022 |
| Dunn County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Eau Claire County | $1,336 | $883 | 2025 |
| Florence County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Fond du Lac County | $1,155 | $927 | 2025 |
| Forest County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Grant County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Green County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Green Lake County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Iowa County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Iron County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Jackson County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Jefferson County | $1,177 | $927 | 2025 |
| Juneau County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Kenosha County | $1,245 | $953 | 2025 |
| Kewaunee County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| La Crosse County | $1,200 | $851 | 2025 |
| Lafayette County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Langlade County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Lincoln County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Manitowoc County | $1,250 | $927 | 2022 |
| Marathon County | $1,322 | $906 | 2025 |
| Marinette County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Marquette County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Menominee County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Milwaukee County | $1,539 | $1,245 | 2025 |
| Monroe County | $1,112 | $747 | 2022 |
| Oconto County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Oneida County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Outagamie County | $1,381 | $1,019 | 2025 |
| Ozaukee County | $1,404 | $927 | 2025 |
| Pepin County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Pierce County | $1,112 | $860 | 2022 |
| Polk County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Portage County | $1,358 | $883 | 2025 |
| Price County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Racine County | $1,299 | $1,165 | 2025 |
| Richland County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Rock County | $1,222 | $1,165 | 2025 |
| Rusk County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| St. Croix County | $1,112 | $821 | 2022 |
| Sauk County | $1,250 | $927 | 2022 |
| Sawyer County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Shawano County | $964 | $795 | 2022 |
| Sheboygan County | $1,250 | $927 | 2022 |
City pages in Wisconsin
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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 Wisconsin.
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 Wisconsin.
How much does daycare cost per month in Wisconsin?
The infant center estimate is $1,356 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 $1,018 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 $77,485 median household income gives 21.0%. 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 Wisconsin?
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 2022–2025 DOL NDCPWisconsin DCF | County aggregation | Adjusted per county |
| Infant / home | County sources 2022–2025 DOL NDCPWisconsin DCF | 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.