Reporting by Beyonce Thomas-Reynoso, New York Connect Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
New York is the third most expensive state in the nation for child care, with costs consuming nearly half of a single parent’s median income, according to a new WalletHub report.
As the cost of living continues to rise and more households rely on dual incomes, WalletHub analyzed child care affordability across all 50 states by comparing the cost of family-based and center-based care relative to median household income.
“It costs a lot of money to take care of a child’s needs, and many parents are left with the dilemma of whether to forgo one salary to do their own child care for the first few years or to shell out a significant chunk of their income for child care services,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said.
Why New York ranks so high in cost
While New York ranks No. 11 nationally for highest median income among married couples at about $145,000, the burden is much heavier for single parents, who have a median income of about $41,000.
According to the report, child care costs account for roughly 38% to 45.5% of a single parent’s income in New York. By comparison, South Dakota’s child care costs represent about 14% to 21.6% of income.
Least and most affordable states
For single parents, the least affordable states for child care are:
- No. 1: District of Columbia
- No. 2: Massachusetts
- No. 3: New York
- No. 4: Washington
- No. 5: California
The most affordable states for single parents include:
- No. 1: South Dakota
- No. 2: Alaska
- No. 3: Idaho
- No. 4: Mississippi
- No. 5: Georgia
For married couples, the least affordable states include:
- No. 1: Nebraska
- No. 2: California
- No. 3: New York
- No. 4: Oregon
- No. 5: Washington
The most affordable states for married couples include:
- No. 1: Mississippi
- No. 2: South Dakota
- No. 3: Alabama
- No. 4: Georgia
- No. 5: Alaska
How WalletHub ranked affordability
WalletHub compared the cost of full-time family-based and center-based child care in each state and adjusted the results based on median income for married-couple households and single-parent families.
The analysis included child care costs as a share of income, including:
- Early child care costs as a percentage of median annual income
- Day care costs as a percentage of median annual income
Data used in the rankings were collected as of June 2, 2026, from the U.S. Census Bureau and Child Care Aware.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News.
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