Infant vs Toddler vs Preschool Childcare Cost in Los Angeles County, CA
In Los Angeles County, CA, center-based childcare costs $257/wk for infants, $221/wk for toddlers, $225/wk for preschoolers, and $199/wk for school-age children, based on DOL data. Care gets cheaper as a child gets older: preschool is about 12% ($32/wk, $1,664/yr) less than infant care. Infant (0-1) is the priciest age group ($257/wk) and school-age (6+) the cheapest ($199/wk).
Cost by Child's Age
Childcare prices in Los Angeles 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 $257/wk ($13,363/yr), the highest band in most counties, while preschool care runs $225/wk ($11,699/yr). That's a 12% drop — about $32/wk, or $1,664 a year, in savings as your child moves from infant to preschool.
The priciest age group in Los Angeles County is Infant (0-1) at $257/wk, and the cheapest is school-age (6+) at $199/wk — a spread of $58/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 $199/wk, since those children only need before- and after-school coverage.
| Age Group | Center/Wk | Center/Yr | vs Infant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (0-1) | $257 | $13,363 | — |
| Toddler (1-2) | $221 | $11,480 | -$36 |
| Preschool (3-5) | $225 | $11,699 | -$32 |
| School-Age (6+) | $199 | $10,326 | -$58 |
Burden Index
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $83,411 |
| Burden Index | 16.0% (High) |
| National Median (Infant Center) | $174/wk |
How does Los Angeles County compare?
At $257/wk for infant center care, Los Angeles County runs 48% above the national median of $174/wk.
The Childcare Burden Index here is 16.0% of median household income — a high burden, more than double the 7% HHS affordability threshold.
More about Los Angeles 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.
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.