Can a typical family afford childcare in Tarrant County, TX?

For most families, no. At $10,348/yr (13.1% of the $78,872 median household income), infant center care in Tarrant County costs 1.9× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $147,829/yr — about $68,957 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 11.7% of income, still above the 7% line.

What income do you need to afford daycare in Tarrant County, TX?

For infant center care ($10,348/yr) to stay within the 7% HHS affordability threshold, a household would need to earn about $147,829 a year. The local median household income is $78,872, a gap of $68,957. 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 Tarrant County?

Family-based (home) daycare is the cheaper option in Tarrant County. Infant family daycare runs $177/wk versus $199/wk for a center — about 11% less per week. Annualized, that's $1,144 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 Tarrant County, TX?

Infant center-based childcare in Tarrant County, TX costs $199 per week ($10,348 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $177 per week ($9,204 per year). With a median household income of $78,872, the childcare burden index is 13.1% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does Tarrant County compare to the rest of TX?

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

Is Childcare Affordable in Tarrant County, TX?

No — infant childcare in Tarrant County, TX is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $10,348 per year, center-based infant care consumes 13.1% of the $78,872 median household income — 1.9× the 7% the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services treats as affordable. A household would need to earn about $147,829 a year ($68,957 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 Tarrant County, infant center care costs $10,348/yr against a median household income of $78,872, a burden of 13.1% — 1.9× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Tarrant County household would need to earn about $147,829/yr — roughly $68,957 above the local median of $78,872. Put differently, a median-income family pays 13.1% 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 ($9,204/yr), which works out to 11.7% of median income — still above the 7% threshold, but 11% 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)	13.1% (Moderate)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$147,829/yr
Median Household Income	$78,872
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	11.7%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$199	$177
Toddler (1-2)	$185	$168
Preschool (3-5)	$180	$166
School-Age (6+)	$169	$157

How does Tarrant County compare?

At $199/wk for infant center care, Tarrant County runs 15% above the national median of $174/wk.

The Childcare Burden Index here is 13.1% of median household income — a moderate burden, above the 7% HHS affordability threshold.

For families looking to lower the bill, family-based (home) daycare in Tarrant County runs $177/wk for infants — about 11% less than center-based care, or $1,144 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $169/wk (center) or $157/wk (family).

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

More about Tarrant County

How much does childcare cost in Tarrant County, TX? →

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.