U.S. Department of Labor price data
Daycare cost in Washington
Full-time care for an infant at a Washington child care center had a median price of $370 a week in 2022, about $1,603 a month. That is $109 above the U.S. median of $260, and No. 4 of 45 states counting from the most expensive.
- $370a week, infant at a center
- $290a week, toddler at a center
- $290a week, preschooler at a center
- $273a week, infant at a home daycare
Washington prices by age
| Age | Center, a week | Center, a month | Home, a week | Home, a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $370 | $1,603 | $273 | $1,183 |
| Toddler | $290 | $1,258 | $237 | $1,028 |
| Preschool | $290 | $1,258 | $238 | $1,031 |
| School-age | $249 | $1,078 | $209 | $907 |
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 Washington 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 39 counties" for the rest, A to Z.
| County | Infant | Toddler | Preschool | School-age | Infant at a home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | $270 | $208 | $208 | $152 | $198 |
| Clark County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| Cowlitz County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| Franklin County | $270 | $208 | $208 | $152 | $198 |
| Grant County | $237 | $217 | $217 | $179 | $198 |
| Island County | $363 | $290 | $290 | $200 | $276 |
| King County | $478 | $390 | $390 | $289 | $347 |
| Kitsap County | $328 | $249 | $249 | $374 | $254 |
| Pierce County | $328 | $249 | $249 | $374 | $254 |
| Skagit County | $363 | $290 | $290 | $200 | $276 |
| Snohomish County | $363 | $290 | $290 | $200 | $276 |
| Spokane County | $288 | $228 | $228 | $235 | $218 |
| Thurston County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| Whatcom County | $363 | $290 | $290 | $200 | $276 |
| Yakima County | $270 | $208 | $208 | $152 | $198 |
All 39 Washington counties
| County | Infant | Toddler | Preschool | School-age | Infant at a home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | $237 | $217 | $217 | $179 | $198 |
| Asotin County | $237 | $217 | $217 | $179 | $198 |
| Benton County | $270 | $208 | $208 | $152 | $198 |
| Chelan County | $237 | $217 | $217 | $179 | $198 |
| Clallam County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| Clark County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| Columbia County | $270 | $208 | $208 | $152 | $198 |
| Cowlitz County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| Douglas County | $237 | $217 | $217 | $179 | $198 |
| Ferry County | $237 | $217 | $217 | $179 | $198 |
| Franklin County | $270 | $208 | $208 | $152 | $198 |
| Garfield County | $237 | $217 | $217 | $179 | $198 |
| Grant County | $237 | $217 | $217 | $179 | $198 |
| Grays Harbor County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| Island County | $363 | $290 | $290 | $200 | $276 |
| Jefferson County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| King County | $478 | $390 | $390 | $289 | $347 |
| Kitsap County | $328 | $249 | $249 | $374 | $254 |
| Kittitas County | $270 | $208 | $208 | $152 | $198 |
| Klickitat County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| Lewis County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| Lincoln County | $237 | $217 | $217 | $179 | $198 |
| Mason County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| Okanogan County | $237 | $217 | $217 | $179 | $198 |
| Pacific County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| Pend Oreille County | $237 | $217 | $217 | $179 | $198 |
| Pierce County | $328 | $249 | $249 | $374 | $254 |
| San Juan County | $363 | $290 | $290 | $200 | $276 |
| Skagit County | $363 | $290 | $290 | $200 | $276 |
| Skamania County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| Snohomish County | $363 | $290 | $290 | $200 | $276 |
| Spokane County | $288 | $228 | $228 | $235 | $218 |
| Stevens County | $237 | $217 | $217 | $179 | $198 |
| Thurston County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| Wahkiakum County | $357 | $249 | $249 | $192 | $246 |
| Walla Walla County | $270 | $208 | $208 | $152 | $198 |
| Whatcom County | $363 | $290 | $290 | $200 | $276 |
| Whitman County | $237 | $217 | $217 | $179 | $198 |
| Yakima County | $270 | $208 | $208 | $152 | $198 |
Head Start in Washington
Head Start and Early Head Start are free federal programs for children from families with low incomes. 305 Washington centers are on the federal list, with 9,620 funded places. The 10 counties with the most centers:
| County | Centers | Funded places |
|---|---|---|
| King County | 39 | 1,388 |
| Yakima County | 34 | 1,490 |
| Kitsap County | 24 | 617 |
| Clark County | 23 | 521 |
| Spokane County | 23 | 786 |
| Pierce County | 20 | 404 |
| Skagit County | 14 | 247 |
| Grant County | 11 | 576 |
| Okanogan County | 11 | 345 |
| Cowlitz County | 10 | 243 |
Source: Head Start center locator service locations. To apply, contact the center or its grantee.
Inspection records for Washington
Daycare Hub reads each daycare's state inspection record in Texas only, for now. Daycare in Texas shows what a provider page holds. In Washington, the price tables above and the Head Start list are what we publish.
More states in the West
- Alaska$319
- Arizona$253
- California$371
- Colorado$361
- Hawaii$332
- Idaho$165
- Montana$223
- Nevada$262
- New Mexico
- Oregon$319
- Utah$226
- 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.