Hawaii Childcare Cost Rankings
Hawaii counties ranked by infant center care cost, from most expensive to most affordable. The most expensive is Honolulu County at $366/wk, and the most affordable is Hawaii County at $202/wk.
Across 4 Hawaii counties with DOL pricing data, the median weekly cost of infant center daycare is $323 ($16,800 per year). That puts Hawaii 86% above the U.S. national median of $174/wk. Within the state, prices vary widely — Honolulu County runs $366/wk while Hawaii County runs just $202/wk, a 81% 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 Hawaii, 3 of 4 ranked counties (75%) carry a "High" or "Severe" burden — a family earning the local median income would spend 15% or more of gross pay on daycare alone. 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 Hawaii county is Honolulu County at 19.1% 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
Honolulu County, HI
Median income $99,816
Most expensive county for infant center daycare in Hawaii at $366/wk ($19,020/yr). Family-based daycare runs $208/wk, about 43% cheaper. Childcare burden of 19.1% well exceeds the 7% HHS affordability threshold.
Kalawao County, HI
Median income $87,813
Second-most expensive at $323/wk for infant center care. Infant family daycare $175/wk ($9,120/yr).
Maui County, HI
Median income $95,379
Third-most expensive at $288/wk. Preschool center care drops to $190/wk as ratios loosen.
| Rank | County | Infant/Wk | Annual | Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Honolulu County | $366 | $19,020 | 19.1% High |
| #2 | Kalawao County | $323 | $16,800 | 19.1% High |
| #3 | Maui County | $288 | $15,000 | 15.7% High |
| #4 | Hawaii County | $202 | $10,500 | 14.1% Moderate |
1 County Without Data
The DOL has not published market rate survey data for these counties.
Hawaii Childcare Cost FAQ
Honolulu County is the most expensive county for infant center daycare in Hawaii at $366/wk ($19,020 per year). The Childcare Burden Index there is 19.1% of median household income ($99,816).
Hawaii County has the lowest infant center daycare cost in Hawaii at $202/wk ($10,500 per year). Across the 4 Hawaii counties with DOL pricing data, the spread between most and least expensive is 81%.
The median weekly infant center care cost in Hawaii is $323. The U.S. national median is $174, so Hawaii runs 86% above the national median. Annualized, the typical Hawaii family pays $16,800 per year for infant center daycare.
3 of 4 Hawaii counties (75%) 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. 0 Hawaii 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 Hawaii 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.