MEDIAN · INFANT · CENTER-BASED
How much does childcare cost in Kern County, CA?
In Kern County, CA, the median price of infant care at a child care center is $353 a week ($1,528 a month, $18,337 a year)†.
$353
per week · Kern County, CA · 2022 (latest official data) · † statistically imputed by DOL
≈ $413 per week in 2025 dollars — estimate, adjusted for inflation by ChildcareCost; not an official figure · how we estimate this
† Value statistically imputed by DOL — see methodology
MEDIAN PRICE · BY AGE & SETTING · PER WEEK
| Age | Center-based | Family childcare |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | $353† | $238† |
| Toddler | $206† | $205† |
| Preschool | $171† | $191† |
| School-age‡ | $91† | $174† |
Median prices · 2022 (latest official data) · U.S. Department of Labor.
‡ School-age prices reflect a school-year, part-day arrangement, not full-day year-round care.
† Value statistically imputed by DOL — see methodology
AFFORDABILITY · INFANT · CENTER-BASED · VS 7%
Is childcare affordable in Kern County?
Infant care at a child care center costs about $18,337 a year† — that is 25.8% of the county’s median family income of $71,065 (2022).
That is above the 7%-of-income childcare benchmark.
† Value statistically imputed by DOL — see methodology
ESTIMATE YOUR COST
What would childcare cost your family in Kern County?
Uses Kern County’s official 2022 median prices. Income is prefilled with the county median family income — change it to your own.
ESTIMATED COST IN KERN COUNTY
$18,337
per year · $1,528 per month (÷ 12)
- Share of income
- 25.8%
- Benchmark (7% of income)
- $4,975 /yr
That is above the 7%-of-income childcare benchmark.
INFANT · CENTER-BASED · WEEKLY
How Kern County compares
- Kern County$353 /wk†
- California median$379 /wk
- National median$244 /wk
Bars scaled to the highest figure shown. State and national figures are population-weighted medians of the county medians, across counties with data.
NEARBY COUNTIES · INFANT · CENTER-BASED · WEEKLY
Childcare prices near Kern County
| County | Infant, center |
|---|---|
| Inyo CountyCA | $361 /wk |
| Kings CountyCA | $261 /wk |
| Los Angeles CountyCA | $257 /wk |
| San Bernardino CountyCA | $384 /wk |
| San Luis Obispo CountyCA | $361 /wk |
| Santa Barbara CountyCA | $453 /wk |
| Tulare CountyCA | $240 /wk |
| Ventura CountyCA | $425 /wk |
PRICE TREND · MEDIAN WEEKLY
How childcare prices in Kern County changed
| Year | Median weekly price |
|---|---|
| 2008 | $224 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2009 | $248 |
| 2010 | $242 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2011 | $235 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2012 | $229 |
| 2013 | $237 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2014 | $246 |
| 2015 | $249 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2016 | $251 |
| 2017 | $269 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2018 | $287 |
| 2019 | $304 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2020 | $322 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2022 | $353 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
† Value statistically imputed by DOL — see methodology
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Frequently asked questions
- How much does infant childcare cost in Kern County?
- The median price is $353 per week ($1,528 per month, $18,337 per year) at a child care center in Kern County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- Is childcare affordable in Kern County?
- Infant care at a child care center costs about $18,337 a year, or 25.8% of the county's median family income. That is above the 7%-of-income childcare benchmark.
- How much does family child care cost for an infant in Kern County?
- The median price is $238 per week ($1,029 per month, $12,354 per year) at a family child care home in Kern County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- How much does toddler daycare cost in Kern County?
- The median price is $206 per week ($893 per month, $10,716 per year) at a child care center in Kern County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- How much does preschool cost in Kern County?
- The median price is $171 per week ($739 per month, $8,873 per year) at a child care center in Kern County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.