Massachusetts Among Most Expensive States For Child Care: Survey

MASSACHUSETTS — Child care is among the highest costs for any family — and it's not getting any cheaper. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says that child care is affordable when families spend no more than 7 percent of their household income.

But the average American family, according to a survey by Care.com, found they're spending a whopping 24 percent of their household income on child care.

And Massachusetts is one of the most expensive states for virtually any kind of child care. The state ranked as the most expensive state to hire a nanny, the third-most expensive state to hire a babysitter, and the third-most expensive state for infant daycare.

It costs $899 a week to hire a nanny in Massachusetts. Compare that to the least expensive state, Mississippi, where it costs just $577 weekly.

Infant daycare costs $372 per week in Massachusetts. In the least expensive state, Arkansas, it costs $129 weekly.

Here are the most expensive states to hire a nanny in with cost per week:

1. Massachusetts ($899)
2. Washington, D.C. ($894)
3. California ($890)
4. Washington ($872)
5. Connecticut ($844)

Here are the most expensive states to hire a babysitter with cost per week:

1. Nevada ($203)
2. California ($197)
3. Massachusetts ($195)
4. Washington ($193)
5. Vermont ($192)

And the most expensive states for infant daycare with cost per week:

1. Washington, D.C. ($419)
2. Alaska ($375)
3. Massachusetts ($372)
4. Washington ($377)
5. California ($304)

The results come from the "2024 Cost of Care Report," a national survey of 2,000 U.S. parents of children 14 or younger who pay for child care.

Read the full report at Care.com.

On top of the added expense, more parents are spending time on daycare waitlists. Sixty-five percent of those surveyed have encountered waitlists, and 43 percent spent at least four months on a waitlist.

The results of the Care survey mirror those from a study last year. The National Database of Childcare Prices found Massachusetts families are spending about 20 percent of their income on child care, calling the prices “untenable for families.”

See related: Child Care Costs Eat Up More Of MA Parents' Income