COST DATA
Florida Child Care Costs by County: 2022 Official Data
By Sharon Ben-Moshe ·
Florida's population-weighted median price for center-based infant care is $225.00 per week — $975/month, $11,700/year, per the U.S. Department of Labor's 2022 National Database of Childcare Prices. That is 7.7% below the U.S. median of $243.75/week, ranking Florida 25th of 44 states with data — almost exactly the national midpoint.
Key takeaways
- Florida median (infant, center-based): $225.00/week — close to the national median.
- Most expensive county: Palm Beach County, at $305.00/week.
- Least expensive county: Suwannee County, at $130.00/week.
- Miami-Dade is not Florida's most expensive metro: at $200.00/week it's cheaper than Orlando, Tampa, and Palm Beach counties.
- Full data coverage: all 67 Florida counties report a price.
How much does child care cost in Florida, by age?
- Infant: $225.00/week center · $175.00/week family
- Toddler: $180.00/week center · $150.00/week family
- Preschool: $165.00/week center · $150.00/week family
- School-age: $125.00/week center · $120.00/week family
The most and least expensive counties in Florida
None of the counties below are flagged as DOL-imputed — these are directly observed prices:
- Palm Beach County — $305.00/week
- Pinellas County — $300.00/week
- St. Johns County — $280.00/week
- Alachua County — $250.00/week
- Seminole County — $249.00/week
- Suwannee County — $130.00/week
- Gadsden County — $137.50/week
- Madison County — $140.00/week
- Baker County — $140.00/week
- Hardee County — $150.00/week
Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale compared
The state's largest metro counties, center-based, by age group. Miami-Dade — Florida's most populous county by far — is not the state's most expensive metro:
- Miami-Dade County — infant $200.00 · toddler $170.00 · preschool $155.00 · school-age $125.00
- Broward County (Fort Lauderdale) — infant $233.00 · toddler $190.00 · preschool $180.00 · school-age $130.00
- Orange County (Orlando) — infant $225.00 · toddler $180.00 · preschool $160.00 · school-age $125.00
- Hillsborough County (Tampa) — infant $240.00 · toddler $190.00 · preschool $175.00 · school-age $125.00
- Palm Beach County — infant $305.00 · toddler $245.25 · preschool $220.00 · school-age $119.15
Orange County's infant-center price, $225.00, exactly matches Florida's statewide median — the same population-weighted-median pattern seen in San Diego, California and Harris County, Texas.
Browse every Florida county
For the full 67-county price table, see the Florida state page. Individual county detail is available for Miami-Dade County, Palm Beach County, and every other Florida county. Estimate your own family's cost with the childcare cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does child care cost in Florida?
- Florida's population-weighted median price for center-based infant care is $225.00 per week ($975/month, $11,700/year), per the DOL's 2022 data — 7.7% below the U.S. median of $243.75/week. Florida ranks 25th of 44 states with data — almost exactly the national midpoint.
- What is the most expensive county for child care in Florida?
- Palm Beach County, at $305.00/week for center-based infant care — none of Florida's top counties are flagged as DOL-imputed.
- Is Miami more expensive than Orlando or Tampa for child care?
- No. Miami-Dade County runs $200.00/week for center-based infant care — cheaper than Orange County/Orlando ($225.00), Hillsborough County/Tampa ($240.00), and well below Palm Beach County ($305.00).
- What is the cheapest county for child care in Florida?
- Suwannee County, at $130.00/week for center-based infant care.
- Does every Florida county have official price data?
- Yes. All 67 Florida counties report an official 2022 DOL price — full statewide coverage.