Massachusetts Childcare Cost Rankings
Massachusetts counties ranked by infant center care cost, from most expensive to most affordable. The most expensive is Suffolk County at $590/wk, and the most affordable is Hampshire County at $330/wk.
Across 14 Massachusetts counties with DOL pricing data, the median weekly cost of infant center daycare is $352 ($18,304 per year). That puts Massachusetts 103% above the U.S. national median of $174/wk. Within the state, prices vary widely — Suffolk County runs $590/wk while Hampshire County runs just $330/wk, a 79% 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 Massachusetts, 13 of 14 ranked counties (93%) carry a "High" or "Severe" burden — a family earning the local median income would spend 15% or more of gross pay on daycare alone. 10 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts county is Suffolk County at 35.0% 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
Suffolk County, MA
Median income $87,669
Most expensive county for infant center daycare in Massachusetts at $590/wk ($30,680/yr). Family-based daycare runs $320/wk, about 46% cheaper. Childcare burden of 35.0% well exceeds the 7% HHS affordability threshold.
Norfolk County, MA
Median income $120,621
Second-most expensive at $555/wk for infant center care. Infant family daycare $370/wk ($19,227/yr).
Essex County, MA
Median income $94,378
Third-most expensive at $462/wk. Preschool center care drops to $310/wk as ratios loosen.
| Rank | County | Infant/Wk | Annual | Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Suffolk County | $590 | $30,680 | 35.0% Severe |
| #2 | Norfolk County | $555 | $28,860 | 23.9% Severe |
| #3 | Essex County | $462 | $24,001 | 25.4% Severe |
| #4 | Middlesex County | $462 | $24,001 | 19.8% High |
| #5 | Worcester County | $390 | $20,296 | 22.9% Severe |
| #6 | Barnstable County | $352 | $18,304 | 20.2% Severe |
| #7 | Bristol County | $352 | $18,304 | 22.7% Severe |
| #8 | Dukes County | $352 | $18,304 | 19.6% High |
| #9 | Nantucket County | $352 | $18,304 | 13.5% Moderate |
| #10 | Plymouth County | $352 | $18,304 | 17.4% High |
| #11 | Berkshire County | $330 | $17,160 | 24.6% Severe |
| #12 | Franklin County | $330 | $17,160 | 24.4% Severe |
| #13 | Hampden County | $330 | $17,160 | 25.8% Severe |
| #14 | Hampshire County | $330 | $17,160 | 20.4% Severe |
Massachusetts Childcare Cost FAQ
Suffolk County is the most expensive county for infant center daycare in Massachusetts at $590/wk ($30,680 per year). The Childcare Burden Index there is 35.0% of median household income ($87,669).
Hampshire County has the lowest infant center daycare cost in Massachusetts at $330/wk ($17,160 per year). Across the 14 Massachusetts counties with DOL pricing data, the spread between most and least expensive is 79%.
The median weekly infant center care cost in Massachusetts is $352. The U.S. national median is $174, so Massachusetts runs 103% above the national median. Annualized, the typical Massachusetts family pays $18,304 per year for infant center daycare.
13 of 14 Massachusetts counties (93%) 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. 10 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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.