Can a typical family afford childcare in Navajo County, AZ?

For most families, no. At $11,700/yr (23.2% of the $50,335 median household income), infant center care in Navajo County costs 3.3× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $167,143/yr — about $116,808 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 18.1% of income, still above the 7% line.

What income do you need to afford daycare in Navajo County, AZ?

For infant center care ($11,700/yr) to stay within the 7% HHS affordability threshold, a household would need to earn about $167,143 a year. The local median household income is $50,335, a gap of $116,808. 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 Navajo County?

Family-based (home) daycare is the cheaper option in Navajo County. Infant family daycare runs $175/wk versus $225/wk for a center — about 22% less per week. Annualized, that's $2,600 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 Navajo County, AZ?

Infant center-based childcare in Navajo County, AZ costs $225 per week ($11,700 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $175 per week ($9,100 per year). With a median household income of $50,335, the childcare burden index is 23.2% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does Navajo County compare to the rest of AZ?

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

Is Childcare Affordable in Navajo County, AZ?

No — infant childcare in Navajo County, AZ is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $11,700 per year, center-based infant care consumes 23.2% of the $50,335 median household income — 3.3× the 7% the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services treats as affordable. A household would need to earn about $167,143 a year ($116,808 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 Navajo County, infant center care costs $11,700/yr against a median household income of $50,335, a burden of 23.2% — 3.3× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Navajo County household would need to earn about $167,143/yr — roughly $116,808 above the local median of $50,335. Put differently, a median-income family pays 23.2% of everything they earn before tax just for one infant in center-based care.

The cheapest path is family-based home care at $175/wk ($9,100/yr), which works out to 18.1% of median income — still above the 7% threshold, but 22% 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)	23.2% (Severe)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$167,143/yr
Median Household Income	$50,335
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	18.1%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$225	$175
Toddler (1-2)	$175	$150
Preschool (3-5)	$175	$150
School-Age (6+)	$165	$150

How does Navajo County compare?

At $225/wk for infant center care, Navajo County runs 30% above the national median of $174/wk.

The Childcare Burden Index here is 23.2% 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 Navajo County runs $175/wk for infants — about 22% less than center-based care, or $2,600 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $165/wk (center) or $150/wk (family).

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More about Navajo County

How much does childcare cost in Navajo County, AZ? →

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.