Nevada Childcare Cost Rankings
Nevada counties ranked by infant center care cost, from most expensive to most affordable. The most expensive is Clark County at $276/wk, and the most affordable is Lyon County at $159/wk.
Across 17 Nevada counties with DOL pricing data, the median weekly cost of infant center daycare is $184 ($9,544 per year). That puts Nevada 6% above the U.S. national median of $174/wk. Within the state, prices vary widely — Clark County runs $276/wk while Lyon County runs just $159/wk, a 74% 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 Nevada, 5 of 17 ranked counties (29%) carry a "High" or "Severe" burden — a family earning the local median income would spend 15% or more of gross pay on daycare alone. 3 Nevada 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 Nevada county is Esmeralda County at 24.2% 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
Clark County, NV
Median income $69,911
Most expensive county for infant center daycare in Nevada at $276/wk ($14,333/yr). Family-based daycare runs $194/wk, about 30% cheaper. Childcare burden of 20.5% well exceeds the 7% HHS affordability threshold.
Washoe County, NV
Median income $81,531
Second-most expensive at $257/wk for infant center care. Infant family daycare $182/wk ($9,466/yr).
Esmeralda County, NV
Median income $40,694
Third-most expensive at $190/wk. Preschool center care drops to $155/wk as ratios loosen.
| Rank | County | Infant/Wk | Annual | Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Clark County | $276 | $14,333 | 20.5% Severe |
| #2 | Washoe County | $257 | $13,368 | 16.4% High |
| #3 | Esmeralda County | $190 | $9,858 | 24.2% Severe |
| #4 | Eureka County | $190 | $9,858 | 13.3% Moderate |
| #5 | Lincoln County | $190 | $9,858 | 14.6% Moderate |
| #6 | Pershing County | $190 | $9,858 | 14.9% Moderate |
| #7 | Storey County | $190 | $9,858 | 11.3% Moderate |
| #8 | Churchill County | $184 | $9,544 | 13.6% Moderate |
| #9 | Elko County | $184 | $9,544 | 10.9% Moderate |
| #10 | Humboldt County | $184 | $9,544 | 12.6% Moderate |
| #11 | Lander County | $184 | $9,544 | 10.3% Moderate |
| #12 | Mineral County | $184 | $9,544 | 20.5% Severe |
| #13 | Nye County | $184 | $9,544 | 17.8% High |
| #14 | White Pine County | $184 | $9,544 | 13.4% Moderate |
| #15 | Carson City | $179 | $9,314 | 13.8% Moderate |
| #16 | Douglas County | $177 | $9,218 | 10.9% Moderate |
| #17 | Lyon County | $159 | $8,242 | 11.8% Moderate |
Nevada Childcare Cost FAQ
Clark County is the most expensive county for infant center daycare in Nevada at $276/wk ($14,333 per year). The Childcare Burden Index there is 20.5% of median household income ($69,911).
Lyon County has the lowest infant center daycare cost in Nevada at $159/wk ($8,242 per year). Across the 17 Nevada counties with DOL pricing data, the spread between most and least expensive is 74%.
The median weekly infant center care cost in Nevada is $184. The U.S. national median is $174, so Nevada runs 6% above the national median. Annualized, the typical Nevada family pays $9,544 per year for infant center daycare.
5 of 17 Nevada counties (29%) 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. 3 Nevada 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 Nevada 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.