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

For most families, no. At $12,340/yr (14.8% of the $83,434 median household income), infant center care in Gallatin County costs 2.1× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $176,286/yr — about $92,852 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 12.0% of income, still above the 7% line.

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

For infant center care ($12,340/yr) to stay within the 7% HHS affordability threshold, a household would need to earn about $176,286 a year. The local median household income is $83,434, a gap of $92,852. 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 Gallatin County?

Family-based (home) daycare is the cheaper option in Gallatin County. Infant family daycare runs $192/wk versus $237/wk for a center — about 19% less per week. Annualized, that's $2,331 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 Gallatin County, MT?

Infant center-based childcare in Gallatin County, MT costs $237 per week ($12,340 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $192 per week ($10,009 per year). With a median household income of $83,434, the childcare burden index is 14.8% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does Gallatin County compare to the rest of MT?

Gallatin 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 Gallatin County, MT?

No — infant childcare in Gallatin County, MT is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $12,340 per year, center-based infant care consumes 14.8% of the $83,434 median household income — 2.1× the 7% the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services treats as affordable. A household would need to earn about $176,286 a year ($92,852 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 Gallatin County, infant center care costs $12,340/yr against a median household income of $83,434, a burden of 14.8% — 2.1× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Gallatin County household would need to earn about $176,286/yr — roughly $92,852 above the local median of $83,434. Put differently, a median-income family pays 14.8% of everything they earn before tax just for one infant in center-based care.

The cheapest path is family-based home care at $192/wk ($10,009/yr), which works out to 12.0% 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)	14.8% (Moderate)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$176,286/yr
Median Household Income	$83,434
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	12.0%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$237	$192
Toddler (1-2)	$250	$198
Preschool (3-5)	$212	$198
School-Age (6+)	$212	$182

How does Gallatin County compare?

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

The Childcare Burden Index here is 14.8% 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 Gallatin County runs $192/wk for infants — about 19% less than center-based care, or $2,331 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $212/wk (center) or $182/wk (family).

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

More about Gallatin County

How much does childcare cost in Gallatin 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.