Infant vs Toddler vs Preschool Childcare Cost in Prince William County, VA
In Prince William County, VA, center-based childcare costs $312/wk for infants, $251/wk for toddlers, $267/wk for preschoolers, and $179/wk for school-age children, based on DOL data. Care gets cheaper as a child gets older: preschool is about 14% ($45/wk, $2,318/yr) less than infant care. Infant (0-1) is the priciest age group ($312/wk) and school-age (6+) the cheapest ($179/wk).
Cost by Child's Age
Childcare prices in Prince William 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 $312/wk ($16,199/yr), the highest band in most counties, while preschool care runs $267/wk ($13,881/yr). That's a 14% drop — about $45/wk, or $2,318 a year, in savings as your child moves from infant to preschool.
The priciest age group in Prince William County is Infant (0-1) at $312/wk, and the cheapest is school-age (6+) at $179/wk — a spread of $132/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 $179/wk, since those children only need before- and after-school coverage.
| Age Group | Center/Wk | Center/Yr | vs Infant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (0-1) | $312 | $16,199 | — |
| Toddler (1-2) | $251 | $13,036 | -$61 |
| Preschool (3-5) | $267 | $13,881 | -$45 |
| School-Age (6+) | $179 | $9,312 | -$132 |
Burden Index
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $123,193 |
| Burden Index | 13.1% (Moderate) |
| National Median (Infant Center) | $174/wk |
How does Prince William County compare?
At $312/wk for infant center care, Prince William County runs 79% above the national median of $174/wk.
The Childcare Burden Index here is 13.1% 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 Prince William County runs $224/wk for infants — about 28% less than center-based care, or $4,526 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $179/wk (center) or $153/wk (family).
More about Prince William 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.