Can a typical family afford childcare in Elbert County, CO?

For most families, no. At $14,591/yr (11.7% of the $124,360 median household income), infant center care in Elbert County costs 1.7× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $208,443/yr — about $84,083 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 10.7% of income, still above the 7% line.

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

For infant center care ($14,591/yr) to stay within the 7% HHS affordability threshold, a household would need to earn about $208,443 a year. The local median household income is $124,360, a gap of $84,083. 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 Elbert County?

Family-based (home) daycare is the cheaper option in Elbert County. Infant family daycare runs $256/wk versus $281/wk for a center — about 9% less per week. Annualized, that's $1,297 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 Elbert County, CO?

Infant center-based childcare in Elbert County, CO costs $281 per week ($14,591 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $256 per week ($13,294 per year). With a median household income of $124,360, the childcare burden index is 11.7% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does Elbert County compare to the rest of CO?

Elbert 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 Elbert County, CO?

No — infant childcare in Elbert County, CO is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $14,591 per year, center-based infant care consumes 11.7% of the $124,360 median household income — 1.7× the 7% the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services treats as affordable. A household would need to earn about $208,443 a year ($84,083 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 Elbert County, infant center care costs $14,591/yr against a median household income of $124,360, a burden of 11.7% — 1.7× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Elbert County household would need to earn about $208,443/yr — roughly $84,083 above the local median of $124,360. Put differently, a median-income family pays 11.7% of everything they earn before tax just for one infant in center-based care.

The cheapest path is family-based home care at $256/wk ($13,294/yr), which works out to 10.7% of median income — still above the 7% threshold, but 9% 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)	11.7% (Moderate)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$208,443/yr
Median Household Income	$124,360
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	10.7%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$281	$256
Toddler (1-2)	$266	$230
Preschool (3-5)	$250	$230
School-Age (6+)	$181	$216

How does Elbert County compare?

At $281/wk for infant center care, Elbert County runs 62% above the national median of $174/wk.

The Childcare Burden Index here is 11.7% 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 Elbert County runs $256/wk for infants — about 9% less than center-based care, or $1,297 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $181/wk (center) or $216/wk (family).

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

More about Elbert County

How much does childcare cost in Elbert 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.