Texas Childcare Cost Rankings
Texas counties ranked by infant center care cost, from most expensive to most affordable. The most expensive is Travis County at $229/wk, and the most affordable is Tom Green County at $113/wk.
Across 254 Texas counties with DOL pricing data, the median weekly cost of infant center daycare is $144 ($7,488 per year). That puts Texas 17% below the U.S. national median of $174/wk. Within the state, prices vary widely — Travis County runs $229/wk while Tom Green County runs just $113/wk, a 103% 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 Texas, 46 of 254 ranked counties (18%) carry a "High" or "Severe" burden — a family earning the local median income would spend 15% or more of gross pay on daycare alone. 6 Texas 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 Texas county is Brooks County at 26.0% 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
Travis County, TX
Median income $92,731
Most expensive county for infant center daycare in Texas at $229/wk ($11,908/yr). Family-based daycare runs $206/wk, about 10% cheaper.
Bastrop County, TX
Median income $80,151
Second-most expensive at $202/wk for infant center care. Infant family daycare $181/wk ($9,412/yr).
Blanco County, TX
Median income $79,717
Third-most expensive at $202/wk. Preschool center care drops to $183/wk as ratios loosen.
| Rank | County | Infant/Wk | Annual | Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Travis County | $229 | $11,908 | 12.8% Moderate |
| #2 | Bastrop County | $202 | $10,504 | 13.1% Moderate |
| #3 | Blanco County | $202 | $10,504 | 13.2% Moderate |
| #4 | Burnet County | $202 | $10,504 | 14.7% Moderate |
| #5 | Caldwell County | $202 | $10,504 | 15.7% High |
| #6 | Fayette County | $202 | $10,504 | 14.4% Moderate |
| #7 | Hays County | $202 | $10,504 | 13.1% Moderate |
| #8 | Lee County | $202 | $10,504 | 15.8% High |
| #9 | Llano County | $202 | $10,504 | 16.4% High |
| #10 | Williamson County | $202 | $10,504 | 10.2% Moderate |
| #11 | Tarrant County | $199 | $10,348 | 13.1% Moderate |
| #12 | Dallas County | $194 | $10,088 | 14.3% Moderate |
| #13 | Collin County | $191 | $9,932 | 8.8% Affordable |
| #14 | Denton County | $191 | $9,932 | 9.5% Affordable |
| #15 | Ellis County | $191 | $9,932 | 10.7% Moderate |
| #16 | Erath County | $191 | $9,932 | 16.6% High |
| #17 | Hood County | $191 | $9,932 | 12.4% Moderate |
| #18 | Hunt County | $191 | $9,932 | 14.8% Moderate |
| #19 | Johnson County | $191 | $9,932 | 12.9% Moderate |
| #20 | Kaufman County | $191 | $9,932 | 11.8% Moderate |
| #21 | Navarro County | $191 | $9,932 | 17.7% High |
| #22 | Palo Pinto County | $191 | $9,932 | 15.2% High |
| #23 | Parker County | $191 | $9,932 | 10.4% Moderate |
| #24 | Rockwall County | $191 | $9,932 | 8.2% Affordable |
| #25 | Somervell County | $191 | $9,932 | 11.3% Moderate |
| #26 | Wise County | $191 | $9,932 | 11.6% Moderate |
| #27 | Austin County | $185 | $9,620 | 13.1% Moderate |
| #28 | Brazoria County | $185 | $9,620 | 10.5% Moderate |
| #29 | Chambers County | $185 | $9,620 | 9.1% Affordable |
| #30 | Colorado County | $185 | $9,620 | 15.2% High |
| #31 | Fort Bend County | $185 | $9,620 | 8.7% Affordable |
| #32 | Galveston County | $185 | $9,620 | 11.5% Moderate |
| #33 | Harris County | $185 | $9,620 | 13.6% Moderate |
| #34 | Liberty County | $185 | $9,620 | 16.1% High |
| #35 | Matagorda County | $185 | $9,620 | 17.1% High |
| #36 | Montgomery County | $185 | $9,620 | 10.0% Moderate |
| #37 | Walker County | $185 | $9,620 | 20.4% Severe |
| #38 | Waller County | $185 | $9,620 | 13.4% Moderate |
| #39 | Wharton County | $185 | $9,620 | 16.1% High |
| #40 | Atascosa County | $171 | $8,892 | 13.2% Moderate |
| #41 | Bandera County | $171 | $8,892 | 12.5% Moderate |
| #42 | Bexar County | $171 | $8,892 | 13.2% Moderate |
| #43 | Comal County | $171 | $8,892 | 9.5% Affordable |
| #44 | Frio County | $171 | $8,892 | 15.9% High |
| #45 | Gillespie County | $171 | $8,892 | 12.7% Moderate |
| #46 | Guadalupe County | $171 | $8,892 | 10.1% Moderate |
| #47 | Karnes County | $171 | $8,892 | 15.4% High |
| #48 | Kendall County | $171 | $8,892 | 8.5% Affordable |
| #49 | Kerr County | $171 | $8,892 | 13.3% Moderate |
| #50 | Medina County | $171 | $8,892 | 12.2% Moderate |
| #51 | Wilson County | $171 | $8,892 | 9.9% Affordable |
| #52 | Andrews County | $155 | $8,060 | 9.3% Affordable |
| #53 | Borden County | $155 | $8,060 | 10.0% Moderate |
| #54 | Crane County | $155 | $8,060 | 11.3% Moderate |
| #55 | Dawson County | $155 | $8,060 | 17.8% High |
| #56 | Ector County | $155 | $8,060 | 11.4% Moderate |
| #57 | Gaines County | $155 | $8,060 | 11.0% Moderate |
| #58 | Glasscock County | $155 | $8,060 | 7.2% Affordable |
| #59 | Howard County | $155 | $8,060 | 12.0% Moderate |
| #60 | Loving County | $155 | $8,060 | 15.9% High |
| #61 | Martin County | $155 | $8,060 | 11.5% Moderate |
| #62 | Midland County | $155 | $8,060 | 8.9% Affordable |
| #63 | Pecos County | $155 | $8,060 | 13.6% Moderate |
| #64 | Reeves County | $155 | $8,060 | 14.0% Moderate |
| #65 | Terrell County | $155 | $8,060 | 15.3% High |
| #66 | Upton County | $155 | $8,060 | 14.6% Moderate |
| #67 | Ward County | $155 | $8,060 | 11.4% Moderate |
| #68 | Winkler County | $155 | $8,060 | 9.0% Affordable |
| #69 | Brazos County | $154 | $8,008 | 13.9% Moderate |
| #70 | Burleson County | $154 | $8,008 | 11.2% Moderate |
| #71 | Cameron County | $154 | $8,008 | 16.9% High |
| #72 | Grimes County | $154 | $8,008 | 12.6% Moderate |
| #73 | Leon County | $154 | $8,008 | 14.0% Moderate |
| #74 | Madison County | $154 | $8,008 | 12.2% Moderate |
| #75 | Robertson County | $154 | $8,008 | 13.5% Moderate |
| #76 | Washington County | $154 | $8,008 | 11.4% Moderate |
| #77 | Brooks County | $153 | $7,956 | 26.0% Severe |
| #78 | Duval County | $153 | $7,956 | 15.7% High |
| #79 | Jim Wells County | $153 | $7,956 | 17.1% High |
| #80 | Kenedy County | $153 | $7,956 | 17.5% High |
| #81 | Kleberg County | $153 | $7,956 | 15.2% High |
| #82 | Live Oak County | $153 | $7,956 | 14.2% Moderate |
| #83 | McMullen County | $153 | $7,956 | 13.2% Moderate |
| #84 | Nueces County | $153 | $7,956 | 12.4% Moderate |
| #85 | San Patricio County | $153 | $7,956 | 12.5% Moderate |
| #86 | Armstrong County | $147 | $7,644 | 10.9% Moderate |
| #87 | Briscoe County | $147 | $7,644 | 21.6% Severe |
| #88 | Carson County | $147 | $7,644 | 9.2% Affordable |
| #89 | Castro County | $147 | $7,644 | 12.8% Moderate |
| #90 | Childress County | $147 | $7,644 | 13.6% Moderate |
| #91 | Collingsworth County | $147 | $7,644 | 14.7% Moderate |
| #92 | Dallam County | $147 | $7,644 | 10.6% Moderate |
| #93 | Deaf Smith County | $147 | $7,644 | 14.7% Moderate |
| #94 | Donley County | $147 | $7,644 | 14.8% Moderate |
| #95 | Gray County | $147 | $7,644 | 14.0% Moderate |
| #96 | Hall County | $147 | $7,644 | 17.4% High |
| #97 | Hansford County | $147 | $7,644 | 12.3% Moderate |
| #98 | Hartley County | $147 | $7,644 | 9.8% Affordable |
| #99 | Hemphill County | $147 | $7,644 | 11.3% Moderate |
| #100 | Hutchinson County | $147 | $7,644 | 12.3% Moderate |
| #101 | Lipscomb County | $147 | $7,644 | 10.7% Moderate |
| #102 | Moore County | $147 | $7,644 | 12.9% Moderate |
| #103 | Ochiltree County | $147 | $7,644 | 12.3% Moderate |
| #104 | Oldham County | $147 | $7,644 | 10.8% Moderate |
| #105 | Parmer County | $147 | $7,644 | 11.7% Moderate |
| #106 | Potter County | $147 | $7,644 | 15.9% High |
| #107 | Randall County | $147 | $7,644 | 9.8% Affordable |
| #108 | Roberts County | $147 | $7,644 | 12.2% Moderate |
| #109 | Sherman County | $147 | $7,644 | 11.6% Moderate |
| #110 | Swisher County | $147 | $7,644 | 19.0% High |
| #111 | Wheeler County | $147 | $7,644 | 13.1% Moderate |
| #112 | Bailey County | $146 | $7,592 | 10.9% Moderate |
| #113 | Cochran County | $146 | $7,592 | 18.3% High |
| #114 | Crosby County | $146 | $7,592 | 15.1% High |
| #115 | Dickens County | $146 | $7,592 | 16.3% High |
| #116 | Floyd County | $146 | $7,592 | 15.4% High |
| #117 | Garza County | $146 | $7,592 | 13.5% Moderate |
| #118 | Hale County | $146 | $7,592 | 15.0% High |
| #119 | Hockley County | $146 | $7,592 | 14.2% Moderate |
| #120 | King County | $146 | $7,592 | 12.8% Moderate |
| #121 | Lamb County | $146 | $7,592 | 13.9% Moderate |
| #122 | Lubbock County | $146 | $7,592 | 12.3% Moderate |
| #123 | Lynn County | $146 | $7,592 | 14.3% Moderate |
| #124 | Motley County | $146 | $7,592 | 11.4% Moderate |
| #125 | Terry County | $146 | $7,592 | 17.8% High |
| #126 | Yoakum County | $146 | $7,592 | 9.5% Affordable |
| #127 | Hidalgo County | $144 | $7,488 | 15.2% High |
| #128 | Starr County | $144 | $7,488 | 20.8% Severe |
| #129 | Willacy County | $144 | $7,488 | 17.5% High |
| #130 | Cooke County | $138 | $7,176 | 10.8% Moderate |
| #131 | Fannin County | $138 | $7,176 | 10.9% Moderate |
| #132 | Grayson County | $138 | $7,176 | 10.8% Moderate |
| #133 | Hardin County | $135 | $7,020 | 10.0% Moderate |
| #134 | Jefferson County | $135 | $7,020 | 12.3% Moderate |
| #135 | Orange County | $135 | $7,020 | 9.8% Affordable |
| #136 | Bosque County | $134 | $6,968 | 10.9% Moderate |
| #137 | Falls County | $134 | $6,968 | 15.4% High |
| #138 | Freestone County | $134 | $6,968 | 12.5% Moderate |
| #139 | Hill County | $134 | $6,968 | 11.5% Moderate |
| #140 | Limestone County | $134 | $6,968 | 13.1% Moderate |
| #141 | McLennan County | $134 | $6,968 | 11.7% Moderate |
| #142 | Bell County | $133 | $6,916 | 11.0% Moderate |
| #143 | Coryell County | $133 | $6,916 | 10.9% Moderate |
| #144 | Hamilton County | $133 | $6,916 | 12.6% Moderate |
| #145 | Lampasas County | $133 | $6,916 | 9.4% Affordable |
| #146 | Milam County | $133 | $6,916 | 12.1% Moderate |
| #147 | Mills County | $133 | $6,916 | 11.7% Moderate |
| #148 | San Saba County | $133 | $6,916 | 12.8% Moderate |
| #149 | Archer County | $130 | $6,760 | 9.7% Affordable |
| #150 | Baylor County | $130 | $6,760 | 12.8% Moderate |
| #151 | Clay County | $130 | $6,760 | 9.0% Affordable |
| #152 | Cottle County | $130 | $6,760 | 14.2% Moderate |
| #153 | Dimmit County | $130 | $6,760 | 24.7% Severe |
| #154 | Edwards County | $130 | $6,760 | 16.6% High |
| #155 | Foard County | $130 | $6,760 | 16.1% High |
| #156 | Hardeman County | $130 | $6,760 | 11.2% Moderate |
| #157 | Jack County | $130 | $6,760 | 11.5% Moderate |
| #158 | Kinney County | $130 | $6,760 | 12.9% Moderate |
| #159 | La Salle County | $130 | $6,760 | 10.8% Moderate |
| #160 | Maverick County | $130 | $6,760 | 13.9% Moderate |
| #161 | Montague County | $130 | $6,760 | 10.7% Moderate |
| #162 | Real County | $130 | $6,760 | 14.4% Moderate |
| #163 | Uvalde County | $130 | $6,760 | 12.3% Moderate |
| #164 | Val Verde County | $130 | $6,760 | 11.8% Moderate |
| #165 | Wichita County | $130 | $6,760 | 11.5% Moderate |
| #166 | Wilbarger County | $130 | $6,760 | 13.3% Moderate |
| #167 | Young County | $130 | $6,760 | 10.3% Moderate |
| #168 | Zavala County | $130 | $6,760 | 13.7% Moderate |
| #169 | Angelina County | $129 | $6,708 | 11.8% Moderate |
| #170 | Houston County | $129 | $6,708 | 13.1% Moderate |
| #171 | Jasper County | $129 | $6,708 | 13.7% Moderate |
| #172 | Nacogdoches County | $129 | $6,708 | 13.1% Moderate |
| #173 | Newton County | $129 | $6,708 | 17.3% High |
| #174 | Polk County | $129 | $6,708 | 11.7% Moderate |
| #175 | Sabine County | $129 | $6,708 | 14.3% Moderate |
| #176 | San Augustine County | $129 | $6,708 | 14.6% Moderate |
| #177 | San Jacinto County | $129 | $6,708 | 12.2% Moderate |
| #178 | Shelby County | $129 | $6,708 | 13.6% Moderate |
| #179 | Trinity County | $129 | $6,708 | 13.1% Moderate |
| #180 | Tyler County | $129 | $6,708 | 13.2% Moderate |
| #181 | Jim Hogg County | $126 | $6,552 | 15.5% High |
| #182 | Webb County | $126 | $6,552 | 10.9% Moderate |
| #183 | Zapata County | $126 | $6,552 | 18.7% High |
| #184 | Anderson County | $124 | $6,448 | 11.2% Moderate |
| #185 | Aransas County | $124 | $6,448 | 11.1% Moderate |
| #186 | Bee County | $124 | $6,448 | 12.8% Moderate |
| #187 | Brown County | $124 | $6,448 | 12.0% Moderate |
| #188 | Calhoun County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.4% Moderate |
| #189 | Callahan County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.1% Moderate |
| #190 | Camp County | $124 | $6,448 | 11.9% Moderate |
| #191 | Cherokee County | $124 | $6,448 | 11.3% Moderate |
| #192 | Coleman County | $124 | $6,448 | 12.6% Moderate |
| #193 | Comanche County | $124 | $6,448 | 11.2% Moderate |
| #194 | DeWitt County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.6% Moderate |
| #195 | Eastland County | $124 | $6,448 | 12.2% Moderate |
| #196 | Fisher County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.7% Moderate |
| #197 | Goliad County | $124 | $6,448 | 11.1% Moderate |
| #198 | Gonzales County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.0% Moderate |
| #199 | Gregg County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.1% Moderate |
| #200 | Harrison County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.2% Moderate |
| #201 | Haskell County | $124 | $6,448 | 12.2% Moderate |
| #202 | Henderson County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.8% Moderate |
| #203 | Jackson County | $124 | $6,448 | 9.6% Affordable |
| #204 | Jones County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.9% Moderate |
| #205 | Kent County | $124 | $6,448 | 9.4% Affordable |
| #206 | Knox County | $124 | $6,448 | 13.2% Moderate |
| #207 | Lavaca County | $124 | $6,448 | 11.0% Moderate |
| #208 | Marion County | $124 | $6,448 | 13.4% Moderate |
| #209 | Mitchell County | $124 | $6,448 | 12.9% Moderate |
| #210 | Nolan County | $124 | $6,448 | 13.6% Moderate |
| #211 | Panola County | $124 | $6,448 | 11.1% Moderate |
| #212 | Rains County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.7% Moderate |
| #213 | Refugio County | $124 | $6,448 | 11.9% Moderate |
| #214 | Runnels County | $124 | $6,448 | 11.6% Moderate |
| #215 | Rusk County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.5% Moderate |
| #216 | Scurry County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.9% Moderate |
| #217 | Shackelford County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.6% Moderate |
| #218 | Smith County | $124 | $6,448 | 9.3% Affordable |
| #219 | Stephens County | $124 | $6,448 | 14.4% Moderate |
| #220 | Stonewall County | $124 | $6,448 | 9.7% Affordable |
| #221 | Taylor County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.4% Moderate |
| #222 | Throckmorton County | $124 | $6,448 | 11.7% Moderate |
| #223 | Upshur County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.7% Moderate |
| #224 | Van Zandt County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.3% Moderate |
| #225 | Victoria County | $124 | $6,448 | 9.7% Affordable |
| #226 | Wood County | $124 | $6,448 | 10.4% Moderate |
| #227 | Brewster County | $122 | $6,344 | 13.3% Moderate |
| #228 | Culberson County | $122 | $6,344 | 17.7% High |
| #229 | El Paso County | $122 | $6,344 | 11.4% Moderate |
| #230 | Hudspeth County | $122 | $6,344 | 18.0% High |
| #231 | Jeff Davis County | $122 | $6,344 | 16.6% High |
| #232 | Presidio County | $122 | $6,344 | 21.9% Severe |
| #233 | Bowie County | $121 | $6,292 | 11.1% Moderate |
| #234 | Cass County | $121 | $6,292 | 11.6% Moderate |
| #235 | Delta County | $121 | $6,292 | 9.2% Affordable |
| #236 | Franklin County | $121 | $6,292 | 9.3% Affordable |
| #237 | Hopkins County | $121 | $6,292 | 9.9% Affordable |
| #238 | Lamar County | $121 | $6,292 | 10.8% Moderate |
| #239 | Morris County | $121 | $6,292 | 12.2% Moderate |
| #240 | Red River County | $121 | $6,292 | 14.1% Moderate |
| #241 | Titus County | $121 | $6,292 | 10.9% Moderate |
| #242 | Coke County | $113 | $5,876 | 14.6% Moderate |
| #243 | Concho County | $113 | $5,876 | 10.5% Moderate |
| #244 | Crockett County | $113 | $5,876 | 9.2% Affordable |
| #245 | Irion County | $113 | $5,876 | 10.7% Moderate |
| #246 | Kimble County | $113 | $5,876 | 9.4% Affordable |
| #247 | McCulloch County | $113 | $5,876 | 11.0% Moderate |
| #248 | Mason County | $113 | $5,876 | 7.6% Affordable |
| #249 | Menard County | $113 | $5,876 | 14.4% Moderate |
| #250 | Reagan County | $113 | $5,876 | 8.4% Affordable |
| #251 | Schleicher County | $113 | $5,876 | 10.9% Moderate |
| #252 | Sterling County | $113 | $5,876 | 9.2% Affordable |
| #253 | Sutton County | $113 | $5,876 | 10.3% Moderate |
| #254 | Tom Green County | $113 | $5,876 | 8.7% Affordable |
Texas Childcare Cost FAQ
Travis County is the most expensive county for infant center daycare in Texas at $229/wk ($11,908 per year). The Childcare Burden Index there is 12.8% of median household income ($92,731).
Tom Green County has the lowest infant center daycare cost in Texas at $113/wk ($5,876 per year). Across the 254 Texas counties with DOL pricing data, the spread between most and least expensive is 103%.
The median weekly infant center care cost in Texas is $144. The U.S. national median is $174, so Texas runs 17% below the national median. Annualized, the typical Texas family pays $7,488 per year for infant center daycare.
46 of 254 Texas counties (18%) 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. 6 Texas 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 Texas 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.