Infant vs Toddler vs Preschool Childcare Cost in Fayette County, TN
In Fayette County, TN, center-based childcare costs $212/wk for infants, $146/wk for toddlers, $146/wk for preschoolers, and $76/wk for school-age children, based on DOL data. Care gets cheaper as a child gets older: preschool is about 31% ($65/wk, $3,397/yr) less than infant care. Infant (0-1) is the priciest age group ($212/wk) and school-age (6+) the cheapest ($76/wk).
Cost by Child's Age
Childcare prices in Fayette 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 $212/wk ($11,007/yr), the highest band in most counties, while preschool care runs $146/wk ($7,610/yr). That's a 31% drop — about $65/wk, or $3,397 a year, in savings as your child moves from infant to preschool.
The priciest age group in Fayette County is Infant (0-1) at $212/wk, and the cheapest is school-age (6+) at $76/wk — a spread of $135/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 $76/wk, since those children only need before- and after-school coverage.
| Age Group | Center/Wk | Center/Yr | vs Infant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (0-1) | $212 | $11,007 | — |
| Toddler (1-2) | $146 | $7,610 | -$65 |
| Preschool (3-5) | $146 | $7,610 | -$65 |
| School-Age (6+) | $76 | $3,969 | -$135 |
Burden Index
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $81,074 |
| Burden Index | 13.6% (Moderate) |
| National Median (Infant Center) | $174/wk |
How does Fayette County compare?
At $212/wk for infant center care, Fayette County runs 22% above the national median of $174/wk.
The Childcare Burden Index here is 13.6% 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 Fayette County runs $155/wk for infants — about 27% less than center-based care, or $2,947 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $76/wk (center) or $105/wk (family).
More about Fayette 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.
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.