Infant vs Toddler vs Preschool Childcare Cost in Clay County, NC
In Clay County, NC, center-based childcare costs $209/wk for infants, $137/wk for toddlers, $93/wk for preschoolers, and $50/wk for school-age children, based on DOL data. Care gets cheaper as a child gets older: preschool is about 56% ($116/wk, $6,052/yr) less than infant care. Infant (0-1) is the priciest age group ($209/wk) and school-age (6+) the cheapest ($50/wk).
Cost by Child's Age
Childcare prices in Clay County track a child's age closely, because state licensing rules require more staff per child for the youngest age bands. Infant center care costs $209/wk ($10,864/yr), the highest band in most counties, while preschool care runs $93/wk ($4,812/yr). That's a 56% drop — about $116/wk, or $6,052 a year, in savings as your child moves from infant to preschool.
The priciest age group in Clay County is Infant (0-1) at $209/wk, and the cheapest is school-age (6+) at $50/wk — a spread of $159/wk between the most and least expensive bands. Cost declines steadily from infant to toddler to preschool, the typical national shape. School-age care (ages 6+) is usually the most economical at $50/wk, since those children only need before- and after-school coverage.
| Age Group | Center/Wk | Center/Yr | vs Infant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (0-1) | $209 | $10,864 | — |
| Toddler (1-2) | $137 | $7,134 | -$72 |
| Preschool (3-5) | $93 | $4,812 | -$116 |
| School-Age (6+) | $50 | $2,608 | -$159 |
Burden Index
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $57,065 |
| Burden Index | 19.0% (High) |
| National Median (Infant Center) | $174/wk |
How does Clay County compare?
At $209/wk for infant center care, Clay County runs 20% above the national median of $174/wk.
The Childcare Burden Index here is 19.0% of median household income — a high burden, more than double the 7% HHS affordability threshold.
For families looking to lower the bill, family-based (home) daycare in Clay County runs $135/wk for infants — about 36% less than center-based care, or $3,866 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $50/wk (center) or $62/wk (family).
More about Clay County
This answer pulls from the DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, the authoritative federal source for U.S. childcare prices. The headline number above is the direct answer; what follows is the additional context most readers need to use the answer for a real decision rather than just a fact lookup.
A practical caveat: the headline answer above reflects the most recent the DOL National Database of Childcare Prices vintage; underlying data is often revised for months after first publication, and the right reference for any specific decision is whichever vintage is current at the time of the decision. The as-of date is stamped on every page.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau Childcare Prices, 2026.