Can a typical family afford childcare in Clear Creek County, CO?

For most families, no. At $14,508/yr (16.6% of the $87,169 median household income), infant center care in Clear Creek County costs 2.4× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $207,257/yr — about $120,088 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 14.0% of income, still above the 7% line.

What income do you need to afford daycare in Clear Creek County, CO?

For infant center care ($14,508/yr) to stay within the 7% HHS affordability threshold, a household would need to earn about $207,257 a year. The local median household income is $87,169, a gap of $120,088. 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 Clear Creek County?

Family-based (home) daycare is the cheaper option in Clear Creek County. Infant family daycare runs $235/wk versus $279/wk for a center — about 16% less per week. Annualized, that's $2,301 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 Clear Creek County, CO?

Infant center-based childcare in Clear Creek County, CO costs $279 per week ($14,508 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $235 per week ($12,207 per year). With a median household income of $87,169, the childcare burden index is 16.6% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does Clear Creek County compare to the rest of CO?

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

Is Childcare Affordable in Clear Creek County, CO?

No — infant childcare in Clear Creek County, CO is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $14,508 per year, center-based infant care consumes 16.6% of the $87,169 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 $207,257 a year ($120,088 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 Clear Creek County, infant center care costs $14,508/yr against a median household income of $87,169, a burden of 16.6% — 2.4× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Clear Creek County household would need to earn about $207,257/yr — roughly $120,088 above the local median of $87,169. Put differently, a median-income family pays 16.6% of everything they earn before tax just for one infant in center-based care.

The cheapest path is family-based home care at $235/wk ($12,207/yr), which works out to 14.0% 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)	16.6% (High)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$207,257/yr
Median Household Income	$87,169
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	14.0%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$279	$235
Toddler (1-2)	$228	$211
Preschool (3-5)	$208	$211
School-Age (6+)	$203	$172

How does Clear Creek County compare?

At $279/wk for infant center care, Clear Creek County runs 61% above the national median of $174/wk.

The Childcare Burden Index here is 16.6% 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 Clear Creek County runs $235/wk for infants — about 16% less than center-based care, or $2,301 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $203/wk (center) or $172/wk (family).

View full Clear Creek County childcare data →See all CO county rankings →Most expensive childcare areas →Try the affordability calculator →

More about Clear Creek County

How much does childcare cost in Clear Creek County, CO? →

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.