Can a typical family afford childcare in Union County, NC?

For most families, no. At $12,906/yr (13.5% of the $95,533 median household income), infant center care in Union County costs 1.9× the 7% HHS affordability threshold. A household would need to earn roughly $184,371/yr — about $88,838 above the local median — for this care to count as affordable. Even cheaper family-based home care runs 10.9% of income, still above the 7% line.

What income do you need to afford daycare in Union County, NC?

For infant center care ($12,906/yr) to stay within the 7% HHS affordability threshold, a household would need to earn about $184,371 a year. The local median household income is $95,533, a gap of $88,838. 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 Union County?

Family-based (home) daycare is the cheaper option in Union County. Infant family daycare runs $201/wk versus $248/wk for a center — about 19% less per week. Annualized, that's $2,459 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 Union County, NC?

Infant center-based childcare in Union County, NC costs $248 per week ($12,906 per year), based on DOL data. Family-based infant care is $201 per week ($10,447 per year). With a median household income of $95,533, the childcare burden index is 13.5% of income. The national median weekly infant center care cost is $174 for comparison.

How does Union County compare to the rest of NC?

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

Is Childcare Affordable in Union County, NC?

No — infant childcare in Union County, NC is not affordable by the federal benchmark. At $12,906 per year, center-based infant care consumes 13.5% of the $95,533 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 $184,371 a year ($88,838 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 Union County, infant center care costs $12,906/yr against a median household income of $95,533, a burden of 13.5% — 1.9× the 7% ceiling.

To bring infant center care under the 7% line, a Union County household would need to earn about $184,371/yr — roughly $88,838 above the local median of $95,533. Put differently, a median-income family pays 13.5% of everything they earn before tax just for one infant in center-based care.

The cheapest path is family-based home care at $201/wk ($10,447/yr), which works out to 10.9% of median income — still above the 7% threshold, but 19% 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)	13.5% (Moderate)
HHS Affordability Threshold	7.0%
Income Needed to Be Affordable	$184,371/yr
Median Household Income	$95,533
Family-Care Burden (cheapest)	10.9%

Cost by Care Type

Age Group	Center/Wk	Family/Wk
Infant (0-1)	$248	$201
Toddler (1-2)	$205	$167
Preschool (3-5)	$116	$178
School-Age (6+)	$117	$202

How does Union County compare?

At $248/wk for infant center care, Union County runs 43% above the national median of $174/wk.

The Childcare Burden Index here is 13.5% 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 Union County runs $201/wk for infants — about 19% less than center-based care, or $2,459 in annual savings. School-age care is the cheapest category at $117/wk (center) or $202/wk (family).

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

More about Union County

How much does childcare cost in Union County, NC? →

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.