Infant vs Toddler vs Preschool Childcare Cost in Pitkin County, CO
In Pitkin County, CO, center-based childcare costs $273/wk for infants, $291/wk for toddlers, $263/wk for preschoolers, and $188/wk for school-age children, based on DOL data. Care gets cheaper as a child gets older: preschool is about 3% ($10/wk, $494/yr) less than infant care. Toddler (1-2) is the priciest age group ($291/wk) and school-age (6+) the cheapest ($188/wk).
Cost by Child's Age
Childcare prices in Pitkin 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 $273/wk ($14,170/yr), the highest band in most counties, while preschool care runs $263/wk ($13,676/yr). That's a 3% drop — about $10/wk, or $494 a year, in savings as your child moves from infant to preschool.
The priciest age group in Pitkin County is Toddler (1-2) at $291/wk, and the cheapest is school-age (6+) at $188/wk — a spread of $103/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 $188/wk, since those children only need before- and after-school coverage.
| Age Group | Center/Wk | Center/Yr | vs Infant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (0-1) | $273 | $14,170 | — |
| Toddler (1-2) | $291 | $15,106 | +$18 |
| Preschool (3-5) | $263 | $13,676 | -$9 |
| School-Age (6+) | $188 | $9,760 | -$85 |
Burden Index
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $96,123 |
| Burden Index | 14.7% (Moderate) |
| National Median (Infant Center) | $174/wk |
How does Pitkin County compare?
At $273/wk for infant center care, Pitkin County runs 57% above the national median of $174/wk.
The Childcare Burden Index here is 14.7% of median household income — a moderate burden, above the 7% HHS affordability threshold.
More about Pitkin 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.