U.S. Department of Labor price data
Daycare cost in Montana
Full-time care for an infant at a Montana child care center had a median price of $223 a week in 2022, about $965 a month. That is $38 below the U.S. median of $260, and No. 26 of 45 states counting from the most expensive.
- $223a week, infant at a center
- $233a week, toddler at a center
- $199a week, preschooler at a center
- $179a week, infant at a home daycare
Montana prices by age
| Age | Center, a week | Center, a month | Home, a week | Home, a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $223 | $965 | $179 | $776 |
| Toddler | $233 | $1,009 | $183 | $794 |
| Preschool | $199 | $863 | $183 | $794 |
| School-age | $199 | $863 | $169 | $734 |
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
Daycare cost by Montana 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 56 counties" for the rest, A to Z.
| County | Infant | Toddler | Preschool | School-age | Infant at a home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Horn County | $218 | $227 | $195 | $195 | $171 |
| Cascade County | $220 | $229 | $197 | $197 | $178 |
| Flathead County | $222 | $233 | $199 | $199 | $180 |
| Gallatin County | $237 | $250 | $212 | $212 | $192 |
| Glacier County | $207 | $215 | $185 | $185 | $167 |
| Hill County | $211 | $219 | $188 | $188 | $170 |
| Lake County | $226 | $235 | $202 | $202 | $178 |
| Lewis and Clark County | $216 | $227 | $193 | $193 | $175 |
| Lincoln County | $224 | $233 | $200 | $200 | $176 |
| Missoula County | $219 | $230 | $196 | $196 | $177 |
| Park County | $216 | $227 | $193 | $193 | $175 |
| Ravalli County | $225 | $235 | $201 | $201 | $177 |
| Sanders County | $214 | $223 | $191 | $191 | $168 |
| Silver Bow County | $216 | $225 | $193 | $193 | $174 |
| Yellowstone County | $227 | $237 | $203 | $203 | $184 |
All 56 Montana counties
| County | Infant | Toddler | Preschool | School-age | Infant at a home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaverhead County | $213 | $221 | $190 | $190 | $172 |
| Big Horn County | $218 | $227 | $195 | $195 | $171 |
| Blaine County | $217 | $224 | $193 | $193 | $170 |
| Broadwater County | $221 | $230 | $197 | $197 | $174 |
| Carbon County | $221 | $231 | $197 | $197 | $174 |
| Carter County | $211 | $221 | $189 | $189 | $166 |
| Cascade County | $220 | $229 | $197 | $197 | $178 |
| Chouteau County | $213 | $221 | $191 | $191 | $168 |
| Custer County | $239 | $247 | $213 | $213 | $193 |
| Daniels County | $197 | $207 | $176 | $176 | $155 |
| Dawson County | $226 | $234 | $201 | $201 | $182 |
| Deer Lodge County | $208 | $215 | $186 | $186 | $168 |
| Fallon County | $235 | $244 | $210 | $210 | $185 |
| Fergus County | $209 | $219 | $187 | $187 | $170 |
| Flathead County | $222 | $233 | $199 | $199 | $180 |
| Gallatin County | $237 | $250 | $212 | $212 | $192 |
| Garfield County | $215 | $223 | $192 | $192 | $169 |
| Glacier County | $207 | $215 | $185 | $185 | $167 |
| Golden Valley County | $223 | $234 | $200 | $200 | $176 |
| Granite County | $212 | $220 | $190 | $190 | $167 |
| Hill County | $211 | $219 | $188 | $188 | $170 |
| Jefferson County | $229 | $239 | $204 | $204 | $180 |
| Judith Basin County | $209 | $217 | $186 | $186 | $164 |
| Lake County | $226 | $235 | $202 | $202 | $178 |
| Lewis and Clark County | $216 | $227 | $193 | $193 | $175 |
| Liberty County | $218 | $226 | $195 | $195 | $171 |
| Lincoln County | $224 | $233 | $200 | $200 | $176 |
| Madison County | $236 | $246 | $211 | $211 | $186 |
| McCone County | $213 | $221 | $190 | $190 | $167 |
| Meagher County | $209 | $217 | $186 | $186 | $164 |
| Mineral County | $220 | $228 | $196 | $196 | $173 |
| Missoula County | $219 | $230 | $196 | $196 | $177 |
| Musselshell County | $238 | $246 | $212 | $212 | $187 |
| Park County | $216 | $227 | $193 | $193 | $175 |
| Petroleum County | $215 | $222 | $192 | $192 | $169 |
| Phillips County | $216 | $224 | $193 | $193 | $170 |
| Pondera County | $218 | $226 | $194 | $194 | $176 |
| Powder River County | $229 | $238 | $205 | $205 | $180 |
| Powell County | $217 | $225 | $194 | $194 | $175 |
| Prairie County | $224 | $233 | $200 | $200 | $176 |
| Ravalli County | $225 | $235 | $201 | $201 | $177 |
| Richland County | $213 | $223 | $191 | $191 | $173 |
| Roosevelt County | $210 | $217 | $187 | $187 | $169 |
| Rosebud County | $219 | $227 | $196 | $196 | $172 |
| Sanders County | $214 | $223 | $191 | $191 | $168 |
| Sheridan County | $231 | $240 | $206 | $206 | $182 |
| Silver Bow County | $216 | $225 | $193 | $193 | $174 |
| Stillwater County | $235 | $244 | $210 | $210 | $185 |
| Sweet Grass County | $217 | $226 | $194 | $194 | $171 |
| Teton County | $241 | $249 | $215 | $215 | $189 |
| Toole County | $206 | $214 | $184 | $184 | $166 |
| Treasure County | $254 | $262 | $227 | $227 | $200 |
| Valley County | $209 | $217 | $187 | $187 | $169 |
| Wheatland County | $221 | $229 | $197 | $197 | $174 |
| Wibaux County | $246 | $256 | $220 | $220 | $194 |
| Yellowstone County | $227 | $237 | $203 | $203 | $184 |
Head Start in Montana
Head Start and Early Head Start are free federal programs for children from families with low incomes. 96 Montana centers are on the federal list, with 2,759 funded places. The 10 counties with the most centers:
| County | Centers | Funded places |
|---|---|---|
| Lake County | 12 | 296 |
| Cascade County | 11 | 217 |
| Glacier County | 8 | 312 |
| Yellowstone County | 8 | 338 |
| Gallatin County | 7 | 107 |
| Lewis and Clark County | 6 | 132 |
| Hill County | 5 | 134 |
| Silver Bow County | 5 | 153 |
| Blaine County | 4 | 118 |
| Lincoln County | 3 | 121 |
Source: Head Start center locator service locations. To apply, contact the center or its grantee.
More states in the West
- Alaska$319
- Arizona$253
- California$371
- Colorado$361
- Hawaii$332
- Idaho$165
- 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.