Can a typical family afford childcare in Flathead County, MT?

For most families, no. At $11,547/yr (17.0% of the $68,025 median household income), infant center care in Flathead County costs 2.4× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $164,957/yr — about $96,932 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 13.7% of income, still above the 7% line.

What income do you need to afford daycare in Flathead County, MT?

For infant center care ($11,547/yr) to stay within the 7% HHS affordability threshold, a household would need to earn about $164,957 a year. The local median household income is $68,025, a gap of $96,932. 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 Flathead County?

Family-based (home) daycare is the cheaper option in Flathead County. Infant family daycare runs $180/wk versus $222/wk for a center — about 19% less per week. Annualized, that's $2,196 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 Flathead County, MT?

Infant center-based childcare in Flathead County, MT costs $222 per week ($11,547 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $180 per week ($9,351 per year). With a median household income of $68,025, the childcare burden index is 17.0% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does Flathead County compare to the rest of MT?

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

Is Childcare Affordable in Flathead County, MT?

No — infant childcare in Flathead County, MT is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $11,547 per year, center-based infant care consumes 17.0% of the $68,025 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 $164,957 a year ($96,932 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 Flathead County, infant center care costs $11,547/yr against a median household income of $68,025, a burden of 17.0% — 2.4× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Flathead County household would need to earn about $164,957/yr — roughly $96,932 above the local median of $68,025. Put differently, a median-income family pays 17.0% of everything they earn before tax just for one infant in center-based care.

The cheapest path is family-based home care at $180/wk ($9,351/yr), which works out to 13.7% of median income — still above the 7% threshold, but 19% 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)	17.0% (High)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$164,957/yr
Median Household Income	$68,025
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	13.7%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$222	$180
Toddler (1-2)	$233	$184
Preschool (3-5)	$199	$184
School-Age (6+)	$199	$170

How does Flathead County compare?

At $222/wk for infant center care, Flathead County runs 28% above the national median of $174/wk.

The Childcare Burden Index here is 17.0% 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 Flathead County runs $180/wk for infants — about 19% less than center-based care, or $2,196 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $199/wk (center) or $170/wk (family).

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

More about Flathead County

How much does childcare cost in Flathead County, MT? →

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.