Connecticut Childcare Cost Rankings
Connecticut counties ranked by infant center care cost, from most expensive to most affordable. The most expensive is Fairfield County at $425/wk, and the most affordable is Windham County at $290/wk.
Across 8 Connecticut counties with DOL pricing data, the median weekly cost of infant center daycare is $330 ($17,160 per year). That puts Connecticut 90% above the U.S. national median of $174/wk. Within the state, prices vary widely — Fairfield County runs $425/wk while Windham County runs just $290/wk, a 47% gap between most and least expensive county.
The Childcare Burden Index measures annual infant center cost as a share of local median household income. Across Connecticut, 8 of 8 ranked counties (100%) carry a "High" or "Severe" burden — a family earning the local median income would spend 15% or more of gross pay on daycare alone. 4 Connecticut counties are classified as "Severe" (burden ≥ 20%). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services treats childcare as affordable only when it costs no more than 7% of household income. The single highest-burden Connecticut county is New Haven County at 23.0% of median income.
All figures come from the U.S. Department of Labor's National Database of Childcare Prices (2022), with median household income from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS. The DOL collects pricing through state-level market rate surveys conducted under the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) program — these are the same numbers state agencies use to set childcare subsidy reimbursement rates.
Top 3 Most Expensive Counties
Fairfield County, CT
Median income $106,821
Most expensive county for infant center daycare in Connecticut at $425/wk ($22,100/yr). Family-based daycare runs $300/wk, about 29% cheaper. Childcare burden of 20.7% well exceeds the 7% HHS affordability threshold.
Middlesex County, CT
Median income $95,884
Second-most expensive at $350/wk for infant center care. Infant family daycare $250/wk ($13,000/yr).
New Haven County, CT
Median income $79,216
Third-most expensive at $350/wk. Preschool center care drops to $285/wk as ratios loosen.
| Rank | County | Infant/Wk | Annual | Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Fairfield County | $425 | $22,100 | 20.7% Severe |
| #2 | Middlesex County | $350 | $18,200 | 19.0% High |
| #3 | New Haven County | $350 | $18,200 | 23.0% Severe |
| #4 | Hartford County | $330 | $17,160 | 20.2% Severe |
| #5 | Litchfield County | $310 | $16,120 | 18.0% High |
| #6 | New London County | $290 | $15,080 | 18.1% High |
| #7 | Tolland County | $290 | $15,080 | 16.1% High |
| #8 | Windham County | $290 | $15,080 | 20.0% Severe |
Connecticut Childcare Cost FAQ
Fairfield County is the most expensive county for infant center daycare in Connecticut at $425/wk ($22,100 per year). The Childcare Burden Index there is 20.7% of median household income ($106,821).
Windham County has the lowest infant center daycare cost in Connecticut at $290/wk ($15,080 per year). Across the 8 Connecticut counties with DOL pricing data, the spread between most and least expensive is 47%.
The median weekly infant center care cost in Connecticut is $330. The U.S. national median is $174, so Connecticut runs 90% above the national median. Annualized, the typical Connecticut family pays $17,160 per year for infant center daycare.
8 of 8 Connecticut counties (100%) have a Childcare Burden Index of 15% or higher — meaning a family earning the local median income would spend at least 15% of gross income on infant center daycare. 4 Connecticut counties are classified as "Severe" (burden ≥ 20%). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services treats childcare as affordable when it costs no more than 7% of household income.
Family-based (home) daycare is typically 20-30% cheaper than center-based care across the country, and Connecticut follows the same pattern. Each county page shows the exact infant family vs. infant center weekly rate, plus toddler, preschool, and school-age figures for both setting types. School-age care is usually the cheapest category, since school-age children only need before- and after-school coverage rather than full days.
The this entity category groups every U.S. childcare prices entity sharing this attribute. The list above is the data; the paragraphs below explain what the grouping means against the broader the DOL National Database of Childcare Prices distribution and how to read the relative rankings within the category.
For readers using this category as a starting point, the per-entity detail pages linked from the table above carry the underlying the DOL National Database of Childcare Prices data in full. The category-level view is the filter; the per-entity pages are the actual answer.