Can a typical family afford childcare in Merrimack County, NH?

For most families, no. At $14,926/yr (16.8% of the $88,806 median household income), infant center care in Merrimack County costs 2.4× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $213,229/yr — about $124,423 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 11.6% of income, still above the 7% line.

What income do you need to afford daycare in Merrimack County, NH?

For infant center care ($14,926/yr) to stay within the 7% HHS affordability threshold, a household would need to earn about $213,229 a year. The local median household income is $88,806, a gap of $124,423. 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 Merrimack County?

Family-based (home) daycare is the cheaper option in Merrimack County. Infant family daycare runs $198/wk versus $287/wk for a center — about 31% less per week. Annualized, that's $4,651 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 Merrimack County, NH?

Infant center-based childcare in Merrimack County, NH costs $287 per week ($14,926 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $198 per week ($10,275 per year). With a median household income of $88,806, the childcare burden index is 16.8% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does Merrimack County compare to the rest of NH?

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

Is Childcare Affordable in Merrimack County, NH?

No — infant childcare in Merrimack County, NH is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $14,926 per year, center-based infant care consumes 16.8% of the $88,806 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 $213,229 a year ($124,423 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 Merrimack County, infant center care costs $14,926/yr against a median household income of $88,806, a burden of 16.8% — 2.4× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Merrimack County household would need to earn about $213,229/yr — roughly $124,423 above the local median of $88,806. Put differently, a median-income family pays 16.8% of everything they earn before tax just for one infant in center-based care.

The cheapest path is family-based home care at $198/wk ($10,275/yr), which works out to 11.6% of median income — still above the 7% threshold, but 31% 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)	16.8% (High)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$213,229/yr
Median Household Income	$88,806
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	11.6%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$287	$198
Toddler (1-2)	$272	$184
Preschool (3-5)	$239	$184
School-Age (6+)	$213	$0

How does Merrimack County compare?

At $287/wk for infant center care, Merrimack County runs 65% above the national median of $174/wk.

The Childcare Burden Index here is 16.8% 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 Merrimack County runs $198/wk for infants — about 31% less than center-based care, or $4,651 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $213/wk (center) or $0/wk (family).

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

More about Merrimack County

How much does childcare cost in Merrimack County, NH? →

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.