Can a typical family afford childcare in Pine County, MN?

For most families, no. At $10,972/yr (16.9% of the $65,059 median household income), infant center care in Pine County costs 2.4× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $156,743/yr — about $91,684 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 11.5% of income, still above the 7% line.

What income do you need to afford daycare in Pine County, MN?

For infant center care ($10,972/yr) to stay within the 7% HHS affordability threshold, a household would need to earn about $156,743 a year. The local median household income is $65,059, a gap of $91,684. 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 Pine County?

Family-based (home) daycare is the cheaper option in Pine County. Infant family daycare runs $143/wk versus $211/wk for a center — about 32% less per week. Annualized, that's $3,519 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 Pine County, MN?

Infant center-based childcare in Pine County, MN costs $211 per week ($10,972 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $143 per week ($7,453 per year). With a median household income of $65,059, the childcare burden index is 16.9% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does Pine County compare to the rest of MN?

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

Is Childcare Affordable in Pine County, MN?

No — infant childcare in Pine County, MN is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $10,972 per year, center-based infant care consumes 16.9% of the $65,059 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 $156,743 a year ($91,684 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 Pine County, infant center care costs $10,972/yr against a median household income of $65,059, a burden of 16.9% — 2.4× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Pine County household would need to earn about $156,743/yr — roughly $91,684 above the local median of $65,059. Put differently, a median-income family pays 16.9% of everything they earn before tax just for one infant in center-based care.

The cheapest path is family-based home care at $143/wk ($7,453/yr), which works out to 11.5% of median income — still above the 7% threshold, but 32% 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)	16.9% (High)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$156,743/yr
Median Household Income	$65,059
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	11.5%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$211	$143
Toddler (1-2)	$197	$132
Preschool (3-5)	$182	$132
School-Age (6+)	$163	$127

How does Pine County compare?

At $211/wk for infant center care, Pine County runs 22% above the national median of $174/wk.

The Childcare Burden Index here is 16.9% 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 Pine County runs $143/wk for infants — about 32% less than center-based care, or $3,519 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $163/wk (center) or $127/wk (family).

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More about Pine County

How much does childcare cost in Pine County, MN? →

This answer pulls from the DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, the authoritative federal source for U.S. childcare prices. The headline number above is the direct answer; what follows is the additional context most readers need to use the answer for a real decision rather than just a fact lookup.

A practical caveat: the headline answer above reflects the most recent the DOL National Database of Childcare Prices vintage; underlying data is often revised for months after first publication, and the right reference for any specific decision is whichever vintage is current at the time of the decision. The as-of date is stamped on every page.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau Childcare Prices, 2026.