U.S. Department of Labor price data
Daycare cost in California
Full-time care for an infant at a California child care center had a median price of $371 a week in 2022, about $1,606 a month. That is $110 above the U.S. median of $260, and No. 3 of 45 states counting from the most expensive.
- $371a week, infant at a center
- $262a week, toddler at a center
- $253a week, preschooler at a center
- $290a week, infant at a home daycare
California prices by age
| Age | Center, a week | Center, a month | Home, a week | Home, a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $371 | $1,606 | $290 | $1,259 |
| Toddler | $262 | $1,133 | $253 | $1,095 |
| Preschool | $253 | $1,095 | $253 | $1,094 |
| School-age | $219 | $949 | $213 | $921 |
State medians of full-time weekly prices, 2022. A month is a week times 52, divided by 12.
- Under $171
- $171 to $234
- $234 to $307
- Over $307
- No federal price
- Inspection records
Daycare cost by California county
Weekly medians for full-time care in the 15 most populous counties. Center prices first, then the infant price at a home. Open "All 58 counties" for the rest, A to Z.
| County | Infant | Toddler | Preschool | School-age | Infant at a home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | $516 | $371 | $408 | $434 | $361 |
| Contra Costa County | $482 | $346 | $381 | $429 | $319 |
| Fresno County | $416 | $250 | $203 | $109 | $295 |
| Kern County | $353 | $206 | $171 | $91 | $238 |
| Los Angeles County | $257 | $221 | $225 | $199 | $284 |
| Orange County | $394 | $282 | $254 | $239 | $300 |
| Riverside County | $405 | $238 | $189 | $108 | $231 |
| Sacramento County | $347 | $221 | $261 | $217 | $242 |
| San Bernardino County | $384 | $221 | $173 | $95 | $271 |
| San Diego County | $379 | $269 | $243 | $219 | $251 |
| San Francisco County | $607 | $433 | $477 | $438 | $395 |
| San Joaquin County | $387 | $236 | $185 | $96 | $328 |
| San Mateo County | $555 | $397 | $437 | $439 | $375 |
| Santa Clara County | $527 | $373 | $410 | $438 | $361 |
| Ventura County | $425 | $272 | $299 | $421 | $262 |
All 58 California counties
| County | Infant | Toddler | Preschool | School-age | Infant at a home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda County | $516 | $371 | $408 | $434 | $361 |
| Alpine County | $356 | $186 | $168 | $189 | $202 |
| Amador County | $235 | $186 | $145 | $59 | $216 |
| Butte County | $354 | $216 | $179 | $87 | $291 |
| Calaveras County | $291 | $196 | $162 | $76 | $244 |
| Colusa County | $265 | $185 | $153 | $86 | $240 |
| Contra Costa County | $482 | $346 | $381 | $429 | $319 |
| Del Norte County | $224 | $179 | $148 | $54 | $231 |
| El Dorado County | $450 | $290 | $228 | $117 | $372 |
| Fresno County | $416 | $250 | $203 | $109 | $295 |
| Glenn County | $238 | $182 | $151 | $61 | $211 |
| Humboldt County | $366 | $232 | $192 | $95 | $253 |
| Imperial County | $222 | $175 | $161 | $148 | $190 |
| Inyo County | $361 | $213 | $176 | $91 | $249 |
| Kern County | $353 | $206 | $171 | $91 | $238 |
| Kings County | $261 | $184 | $153 | $86 | $218 |
| Lake County | $261 | $196 | $162 | $78 | $232 |
| Lassen County | $224 | $179 | $148 | $54 | $230 |
| Los Angeles County | $257 | $221 | $225 | $199 | $284 |
| Madera County | $332 | $188 | $156 | $95 | $236 |
| Marin County | $548 | $394 | $433 | $439 | $392 |
| Mariposa County | $254 | $184 | $152 | $56 | $232 |
| Mendocino County | $278 | $203 | $168 | $77 | $240 |
| Merced County | $245 | $199 | $165 | $75 | $231 |
| Modoc County | $224 | $179 | $148 | $54 | $205 |
| Mono County | $370 | $240 | $283 | $245 | $295 |
| Monterey County | $403 | $252 | $198 | $101 | $319 |
| Napa County | $377 | $264 | $238 | $242 | $262 |
| Nevada County | $317 | $213 | $201 | $196 | $218 |
| Orange County | $394 | $282 | $254 | $239 | $300 |
| Placer County | $449 | $297 | $233 | $134 | $389 |
| Plumas County | $224 | $179 | $148 | $54 | $230 |
| Riverside County | $405 | $238 | $189 | $108 | $231 |
| Sacramento County | $347 | $221 | $261 | $217 | $242 |
| San Benito County | $386 | $231 | $254 | $326 | $237 |
| San Bernardino County | $384 | $221 | $173 | $95 | $271 |
| San Diego County | $379 | $269 | $243 | $219 | $251 |
| San Francisco County | $607 | $433 | $477 | $438 | $395 |
| San Joaquin County | $387 | $236 | $185 | $96 | $328 |
| San Luis Obispo County | $361 | $232 | $272 | $232 | $246 |
| San Mateo County | $555 | $397 | $437 | $439 | $375 |
| Santa Barbara County | $453 | $309 | $242 | $115 | $363 |
| Santa Clara County | $527 | $373 | $410 | $438 | $361 |
| Santa Cruz County | $477 | $326 | $256 | $142 | $408 |
| Shasta County | $248 | $182 | $214 | $178 | $209 |
| Sierra County | $224 | $179 | $148 | $54 | $205 |
| Siskiyou County | $265 | $204 | $221 | $169 | $192 |
| Solano County | $424 | $272 | $214 | $119 | $367 |
| Sonoma County | $243 | $200 | $204 | $213 | $286 |
| Stanislaus County | $316 | $218 | $171 | $84 | $304 |
| Sutter County | $307 | $197 | $232 | $188 | $220 |
| Tehama County | $236 | $182 | $150 | $59 | $222 |
| Trinity County | $224 | $179 | $148 | $54 | $243 |
| Tulare County | $240 | $191 | $158 | $72 | $246 |
| Tuolumne County | $269 | $207 | $162 | $78 | $241 |
| Ventura County | $425 | $272 | $299 | $421 | $262 |
| Yolo County | $387 | $265 | $312 | $247 | $260 |
| Yuba County | $365 | $219 | $178 | $112 | $273 |
Head Start in California
Head Start and Early Head Start are free federal programs for children from families with low incomes. 2,138 California centers are on the federal list, with 61,306 funded places. The 10 counties with the most centers:
| County | Centers | Funded places |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | 630 | 18,565 |
| San Diego County | 144 | 5,387 |
| Sacramento County | 136 | 4,057 |
| San Joaquin County | 88 | 2,330 |
| Riverside County | 78 | 2,097 |
| San Bernardino County | 67 | 2,217 |
| Alameda County | 63 | 1,754 |
| Stanislaus County | 59 | 1,476 |
| Contra Costa County | 58 | 1,880 |
| Ventura County | 54 | 1,123 |
Source: Head Start center locator service locations. To apply, contact the center or its grantee.
Inspection records for California
Daycare Hub reads each daycare's state inspection record in Texas only, for now. Daycare in Texas shows what a provider page holds. In California, the price tables above and the Head Start list are what we publish.
More states in the West
- Alaska$319
- Arizona$253
- Colorado$361
- Hawaii$332
- Idaho$165
- Montana$223
- Nevada$262
- New Mexico
- Oregon$319
- Utah$226
- Washington$370
- Wyoming$171
Prices shown as "county median" are from the U.S. Department of Labor National Database of Childcare Prices (latest year available, 2022), as stated on our data sources page.