Is Childcare Affordable in Lake of the Woods County, MN?
No — infant childcare in Lake of the Woods County, MN is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $13,260 per year, center-based infant care consumes 21.5% of the $61,667 median household income — 3.1× the 7% the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services treats as affordable. A household would need to earn about $189,429 a year ($127,762 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 Lake of the Woods County, infant center care costs $13,260/yr against a median household income of $61,667, a burden of 21.5% — 3.1× the 7% ceiling.
To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Lake of the Woods County household would need to earn about $189,429/yr — roughly $127,762 above the local median of $61,667. Put differently, a median-income family pays 21.5% 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 ($9,793/yr), which works out to 15.9% of median income — still above the 7% threshold, but 26% 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) | 21.5% (Severe) |
| HHS Affordability Threshold | 7.0% |
| Income Needed to Be Affordable | $189,429/yr |
| Median Household Income | $61,667 |
| Family-Care Burden (cheapest) | 15.9% |
Cost by Care Type
| Age Group | Center/Wk | Family/Wk |
|---|---|---|
| Infant (0-1) | $255 | $188 |
| Toddler (1-2) | $228 | $163 |
| Preschool (3-5) | $214 | $163 |
| School-Age (6+) | $171 | $153 |
How does Lake of the Woods County compare?
At $255/wk for infant center care, Lake of the Woods County runs 47% above the national median of $174/wk.
The Childcare Burden Index here is 21.5% of median household income — a severe burden, more than triple the 7% affordability threshold the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services uses.
For families looking to lower the bill, family-based (home) daycare in Lake of the Woods County runs $188/wk for infants — about 26% less than center-based care, or $3,467 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $171/wk (center) or $153/wk (family).
More about Lake of the Woods County
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.