Can a typical family afford childcare in Forsyth County, NC?

For most families, no. At $10,531/yr (17.2% of the $61,229 median household income), infant center care in Forsyth County costs 2.5× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $150,443/yr — about $89,214 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 16.0% of income, still above the 7% line.

What income do you need to afford daycare in Forsyth County, NC?

For infant center care ($10,531/yr) to stay within the 7% HHS affordability threshold, a household would need to earn about $150,443 a year. The local median household income is $61,229, a gap of $89,214. 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 Forsyth County?

Family-based (home) daycare is the cheaper option in Forsyth County. Infant family daycare runs $188/wk versus $203/wk for a center — about 7% less per week. Annualized, that's $740 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 Forsyth County, NC?

Infant center-based childcare in Forsyth County, NC costs $203 per week ($10,531 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $188 per week ($9,791 per year). With a median household income of $61,229, the childcare burden index is 17.2% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does Forsyth County compare to the rest of NC?

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

Is Childcare Affordable in Forsyth County, NC?

No — infant childcare in Forsyth County, NC is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $10,531 per year, center-based infant care consumes 17.2% of the $61,229 median household income — 2.5× the 7% the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services treats as affordable. A household would need to earn about $150,443 a year ($89,214 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 Forsyth County, infant center care costs $10,531/yr against a median household income of $61,229, a burden of 17.2% — 2.5× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Forsyth County household would need to earn about $150,443/yr — roughly $89,214 above the local median of $61,229. Put differently, a median-income family pays 17.2% of everything they earn before tax just for one infant in center-based care.

The cheapest path is family-based home care at $188/wk ($9,791/yr), which works out to 16.0% of median income — still above the 7% threshold, but 7% 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)	17.2% (High)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$150,443/yr
Median Household Income	$61,229
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	16.0%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$203	$188
Toddler (1-2)	$169	$164
Preschool (3-5)	$150	$148
School-Age (6+)	$81	$87

How does Forsyth County compare?

At $203/wk for infant center care, Forsyth County runs 17% above the national median of $174/wk.

The Childcare Burden Index here is 17.2% 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 Forsyth County runs $188/wk for infants — about 7% less than center-based care, or $740 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $81/wk (center) or $87/wk (family).

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

More about Forsyth County

How much does childcare cost in Forsyth County, NC? →

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.