Can a typical family afford childcare in Los Angeles County, CA?

For most families, no. At $13,363/yr (16.0% of the $83,411 median household income), infant center care in Los Angeles County costs 2.3× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $190,900/yr — about $107,489 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 17.7% of income, still above the 7% line.

What income do you need to afford daycare in Los Angeles County, CA?

For infant center care ($13,363/yr) to stay within the 7% HHS affordability threshold, a household would need to earn about $190,900 a year. The local median household income is $83,411, a gap of $107,489. 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 Los Angeles County?

Family daycare data is limited or comparable to center-based care in Los Angeles County. National DOL data shows family-based infant care typically runs 20-30% below center-based care, but Los Angeles County is an exception or has incomplete family-care reporting.

How much does childcare cost in Los Angeles County, CA?

Infant center-based childcare in Los Angeles County, CA costs $257 per week ($13,363 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $284 per week ($14,787 per year). With a median household income of $83,411, the childcare burden index is 16.0% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does Los Angeles County compare to the rest of CA?

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

Is Childcare Affordable in Los Angeles County, CA?

No — infant childcare in Los Angeles County, CA is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $13,363 per year, center-based infant care consumes 16.0% of the $83,411 median household income — 2.3× the 7% the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services treats as affordable. A household would need to earn about $190,900 a year ($107,489 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 Los Angeles County, infant center care costs $13,363/yr against a median household income of $83,411, a burden of 16.0% — 2.3× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Los Angeles County household would need to earn about $190,900/yr — roughly $107,489 above the local median of $83,411. Put differently, a median-income family pays 16.0% of everything they earn before tax just for one infant in center-based care.

The cheapest path is family-based home care at $284/wk ($14,787/yr), which works out to 17.7% of median income — still above the 7% threshold, but the lower-cost option. 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)	16.0% (High)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$190,900/yr
Median Household Income	$83,411
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	17.7%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$257	$284
Toddler (1-2)	$221	$230
Preschool (3-5)	$225	$222
School-Age (6+)	$199	$186

How does Los Angeles County compare?

At $257/wk for infant center care, Los Angeles County runs 48% above the national median of $174/wk.

The Childcare Burden Index here is 16.0% of median household income — a high burden, more than double the 7% HHS affordability threshold.

View full Los Angeles County childcare data →See all CA county rankings →Most expensive childcare areas →Try the affordability calculator →

More about Los Angeles County

How much does childcare cost in Los Angeles County, CA? →

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.