Can a typical family afford childcare in St. Louis County, MN?

For most families, no. At $10,972/yr (16.5% of the $66,491 median household income), infant center care in St. Louis County costs 2.4× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $156,743/yr — about $90,252 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 13.8% of income, still above the 7% line.

What income do you need to afford daycare in St. Louis 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 $66,491, a gap of $90,252. 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 St. Louis County?

Family-based (home) daycare is the cheaper option in St. Louis County. Infant family daycare runs $177/wk versus $211/wk for a center — about 16% less per week. Annualized, that's $1,785 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 St. Louis County, MN?

Infant center-based childcare in St. Louis County, MN costs $211 per week ($10,972 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $177 per week ($9,187 per year). With a median household income of $66,491, the childcare burden index is 16.5% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does St. Louis County compare to the rest of MN?

St. Louis 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 St. Louis County, MN?

No — infant childcare in St. Louis County, MN is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $10,972 per year, center-based infant care consumes 16.5% of the $66,491 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 ($90,252 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 St. Louis County, infant center care costs $10,972/yr against a median household income of $66,491, a burden of 16.5% — 2.4× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a St. Louis County household would need to earn about $156,743/yr — roughly $90,252 above the local median of $66,491. Put differently, a median-income family pays 16.5% of everything they earn before tax just for one infant in center-based care.

The cheapest path is family-based home care at $177/wk ($9,187/yr), which works out to 13.8% of median income — still above the 7% threshold, but 16% 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)	16.5% (High)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$156,743/yr
Median Household Income	$66,491
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	13.8%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$211	$177
Toddler (1-2)	$197	$150
Preschool (3-5)	$182	$153
School-Age (6+)	$163	$143

How does St. Louis County compare?

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

The Childcare Burden Index here is 16.5% 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 St. Louis County runs $177/wk for infants — about 16% less than center-based care, or $1,785 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $163/wk (center) or $143/wk (family).

View full St. Louis County childcare data →See all MN county rankings →Most expensive childcare areas →Try the affordability calculator →

More about St. Louis County

How much does childcare cost in St. Louis County, MN? →

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.