Can a typical family afford childcare in Plymouth County, MA?

For most families, no. At $18,304/yr (17.4% of the $105,387 median household income), infant center care in Plymouth County costs 2.5× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $261,486/yr — about $156,099 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 13.6% of income, still above the 7% line.

What income do you need to afford daycare in Plymouth County, MA?

For infant center care ($18,304/yr) to stay within the 7% HHS affordability threshold, a household would need to earn about $261,486 a year. The local median household income is $105,387, a gap of $156,099. 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 Plymouth County?

Family-based (home) daycare is the cheaper option in Plymouth County. Infant family daycare runs $275/wk versus $352/wk for a center — about 22% less per week. Annualized, that's $4,004 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 Plymouth County, MA?

Infant center-based childcare in Plymouth County, MA costs $352 per week ($18,304 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $275 per week ($14,300 per year). With a median household income of $105,387, the childcare burden index is 17.4% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does Plymouth County compare to the rest of MA?

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

Is Childcare Affordable in Plymouth County, MA?

No — infant childcare in Plymouth County, MA is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $18,304 per year, center-based infant care consumes 17.4% of the $105,387 median household income — 2.5× the 7% the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services treats as affordable. A household would need to earn about $261,486 a year ($156,099 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 Plymouth County, infant center care costs $18,304/yr against a median household income of $105,387, a burden of 17.4% — 2.5× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Plymouth County household would need to earn about $261,486/yr — roughly $156,099 above the local median of $105,387. Put differently, a median-income family pays 17.4% of everything they earn before tax just for one infant in center-based care.

The cheapest path is family-based home care at $275/wk ($14,300/yr), which works out to 13.6% 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)	17.4% (High)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$261,486/yr
Median Household Income	$105,387
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	13.6%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$352	$275
Toddler (1-2)	$320	$250
Preschool (3-5)	$270	$250
School-Age (6+)	$210	$250

How does Plymouth County compare?

At $352/wk for infant center care, Plymouth County runs 103% above the national median of $174/wk.

The Childcare Burden Index here is 17.4% 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 Plymouth County runs $275/wk for infants — about 22% less than center-based care, or $4,004 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $210/wk (center) or $250/wk (family).

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

More about Plymouth County

How much does childcare cost in Plymouth County, MA? →

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.