Infant vs Toddler vs Preschool Childcare Cost in Fairfax County, VA
In Fairfax County, VA, center-based childcare costs $345/wk for infants, $288/wk for toddlers, $307/wk for preschoolers, and $236/wk for school-age children, based on DOL data. Care gets cheaper as a child gets older: preschool is about 11% ($38/wk, $1,989/yr) less than infant care. Infant (0-1) is the priciest age group ($345/wk) and school-age (6+) the cheapest ($236/wk).
Cost by Child's Age
Childcare prices in Fairfax 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 $345/wk ($17,959/yr), the highest band in most counties, while preschool care runs $307/wk ($15,970/yr). That's a 11% drop — about $38/wk, or $1,989 a year, in savings as your child moves from infant to preschool.
The priciest age group in Fairfax County is Infant (0-1) at $345/wk, and the cheapest is school-age (6+) at $236/wk — a spread of $109/wk between the most and least expensive bands. The decline is uneven here: toddler care sits close to or above infant care, so the cost curve is not perfectly smooth. School-age care (ages 6+) is usually the most economical at $236/wk, since those children only need before- and after-school coverage.
| Age Group | Center/Wk | Center/Yr | vs Infant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (0-1) | $345 | $17,959 | — |
| Toddler (1-2) | $288 | $14,996 | -$57 |
| Preschool (3-5) | $307 | $15,970 | -$38 |
| School-Age (6+) | $236 | $12,267 | -$109 |
Burden Index
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $145,165 |
| Burden Index | 12.4% (Moderate) |
| National Median (Infant Center) | $174/wk |
How does Fairfax County compare?
At $345/wk for infant center care, Fairfax County runs 99% above the national median of $174/wk.
The Childcare Burden Index here is 12.4% of median household income — a moderate burden, above the 7% HHS affordability threshold.
For families looking to lower the bill, family-based (home) daycare in Fairfax County runs $260/wk for infants — about 25% less than center-based care, or $4,432 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $236/wk (center) or $189/wk (family).
More about Fairfax County
The data source behind this answer is the DOL National Database of Childcare Prices. Every figure on the page traces back to that source; the methodology page describes the inputs and the refresh cadence in full detail.
For readers turning this answer into action: cross-reference against the underlying the DOL National Database of Childcare Prices record before acting on time-sensitive decisions. The site renders the data as it was published; subsequent revisions can shift the picture, and the live federal data is always the authoritative current reference.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau Childcare Prices, 2026.