Infant vs Toddler vs Preschool Childcare Cost in Rosebud County, MT
In Rosebud County, MT, center-based childcare costs $219/wk for infants, $227/wk for toddlers, $196/wk for preschoolers, and $196/wk for school-age children, based on DOL data. Care gets cheaper as a child gets older: preschool is about 11% ($23/wk, $1,221/yr) less than infant care. Toddler (1-2) is the priciest age group ($227/wk) and preschool (3-5) the cheapest ($196/wk).
Cost by Child's Age
Childcare prices in Rosebud 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 $219/wk ($11,390/yr), the highest band in most counties, while preschool care runs $196/wk ($10,169/yr). That's a 11% drop — about $23/wk, or $1,221 a year, in savings as your child moves from infant to preschool.
The priciest age group in Rosebud County is Toddler (1-2) at $227/wk, and the cheapest is preschool (3-5) at $196/wk — a spread of $31/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 $196/wk, since those children only need before- and after-school coverage.
| Age Group | Center/Wk | Center/Yr | vs Infant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (0-1) | $219 | $11,390 | — |
| Toddler (1-2) | $227 | $11,796 | +$8 |
| Preschool (3-5) | $196 | $10,169 | -$23 |
| School-Age (6+) | $196 | $10,169 | -$23 |
Burden Index
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $57,656 |
| Burden Index | 19.8% (High) |
| National Median (Infant Center) | $174/wk |
How does Rosebud County compare?
At $219/wk for infant center care, Rosebud County runs 26% above the national median of $174/wk.
The Childcare Burden Index here is 19.8% 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 Rosebud County runs $172/wk for infants — about 21% less than center-based care, or $2,441 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $196/wk (center) or $163/wk (family).
More about Rosebud 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.