Infant vs Toddler vs Preschool Childcare Cost in Lee County, IL
In Lee County, IL, center-based childcare costs $244/wk for infants, $252/wk for toddlers, $158/wk for preschoolers, and $41/wk for school-age children, based on DOL data. Care gets cheaper as a child gets older: preschool is about 35% ($86/wk, $4,461/yr) less than infant care. Toddler (1-2) is the priciest age group ($252/wk) and school-age (6+) the cheapest ($41/wk).
Cost by Child's Age
Childcare prices in Lee 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 $244/wk ($12,694/yr), the highest band in most counties, while preschool care runs $158/wk ($8,233/yr). That's a 35% drop — about $86/wk, or $4,461 a year, in savings as your child moves from infant to preschool.
The priciest age group in Lee County is Toddler (1-2) at $252/wk, and the cheapest is school-age (6+) at $41/wk — a spread of $211/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 $41/wk, since those children only need before- and after-school coverage.
| Age Group | Center/Wk | Center/Yr | vs Infant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (0-1) | $244 | $12,694 | — |
| Toddler (1-2) | $252 | $13,087 | +$8 |
| Preschool (3-5) | $158 | $8,233 | -$86 |
| School-Age (6+) | $41 | $2,115 | -$203 |
Burden Index
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $64,588 |
| Burden Index | 19.7% (High) |
| National Median (Infant Center) | $174/wk |
How does Lee County compare?
At $244/wk for infant center care, Lee County runs 41% above the national median of $174/wk.
The Childcare Burden Index here is 19.7% 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 Lee County runs $158/wk for infants — about 35% less than center-based care, or $4,461 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $41/wk (center) or $72/wk (family).
More about Lee 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.