Can a typical family afford childcare in Chelan County, WA?

For most families, no. At $12,326/yr (17.1% of the $71,876 median household income), infant center care in Chelan County costs 2.4× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $176,086/yr — about $104,210 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 14.3% of income, still above the 7% line.

What income do you need to afford daycare in Chelan County, WA?

For infant center care ($12,326/yr) to stay within the 7% HHS affordability threshold, a household would need to earn about $176,086 a year. The local median household income is $71,876, a gap of $104,210. These figures cover one child; a second child in care roughly doubles the income you'd need.

What's cheaper, a daycare center or family daycare in Chelan County?

Family-based (home) daycare is the cheaper option in Chelan County. Infant family daycare runs $198/wk versus $237/wk for a center — about 16% less per week. Annualized, that's $2,030 in savings per year. Center-based care offers more structured curricula and staff redundancy; family daycare is run out of a provider's home with smaller group sizes and often more flexible hours.

How much does childcare cost in Chelan County, WA?

Infant center-based childcare in Chelan County, WA costs $237 per week ($12,326 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $198 per week ($10,296 per year). With a median household income of $71,876, the childcare burden index is 17.1% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does Chelan County compare to the rest of WA?

Chelan County is one of the counties tracked in WA for the DOL National Database of Childcare Prices. See the full state ranking for direct comparison.

Is Childcare Affordable in Chelan County, WA?

No — infant childcare in Chelan County, WA is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $12,326 per year, center-based infant care consumes 17.1% of the $71,876 median household income — 2.4× the 7% the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services treats as affordable. A household would need to earn about $176,086 a year ($104,210 more than the local median) for this care to fall under the 7% line.

The Affordability Math

Affordability isn't about the sticker price — it's the share of income childcare eats. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sets the line at 7% of household income. In Chelan County, infant center care costs $12,326/yr against a median household income of $71,876, a burden of 17.1% — 2.4× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Chelan County household would need to earn about $176,086/yr — roughly $104,210 above the local median of $71,876. Put differently, a median-income family pays 17.1% of everything they earn before tax just for one infant in center-based care.

The cheapest path is family-based home care at $198/wk ($10,296/yr), which works out to 14.3% of median income — still above the 7% threshold, but 16% cheaper than a center. Income-eligible families can also apply for the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) subsidy, which caps copays at 7% of income by design — see the subsidy options below.

Affordability Measure	Value
Burden Index (infant center)	17.1% (High)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$176,086/yr
Median Household Income	$71,876
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	14.3%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$237	$198
Toddler (1-2)	$217	$173
Preschool (3-5)	$217	$173
School-Age (6+)	$179	$161

How does Chelan County compare?

At $237/wk for infant center care, Chelan County runs 37% above the national median of $174/wk.

The Childcare Burden Index here is 17.1% 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 Chelan County runs $198/wk for infants — about 16% less than center-based care, or $2,030 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $179/wk (center) or $161/wk (family).

View full Chelan County childcare data →See all WA county rankings →Most expensive childcare areas →Try the affordability calculator →

More about Chelan County

How much does childcare cost in Chelan County, WA? →

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.