MEDIAN · INFANT · CENTER-BASED
How much does childcare cost in Penobscot County, ME?
In Penobscot County, ME, the median price of infant care at a child care center is $256 a week ($1,108 a month, $13,295 a year)†.
$256
per week · Penobscot County, ME · 2022 (latest official data) · † statistically imputed by DOL
≈ $299 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 | $256† | $183† |
| Toddler | $204† | $180† |
| Preschool | $188† | $160† |
| School-age‡ | $193† | $160† |
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 Penobscot County?
Infant care at a child care center costs about $13,295 a year† — that is 16.2% of the county’s median family income of $82,139 (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 Penobscot County?
Uses Penobscot County’s official 2022 median prices. Income is prefilled with the county median family income — change it to your own.
ESTIMATED COST IN PENOBSCOT COUNTY
$13,295
per year · $1,108 per month (÷ 12)
- Share of income
- 16.2%
- Benchmark (7% of income)
- $5,750 /yr
That is above the 7%-of-income childcare benchmark.
INFANT · CENTER-BASED · WEEKLY
How Penobscot County compares
- Penobscot County$256 /wk†
- Maine median$230 /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 Penobscot County
| County | Infant, center |
|---|---|
| Aroostook CountyME | $193 /wk |
| Hancock CountyME | $229 /wk |
| Piscataquis CountyME | $193 /wk |
| Somerset CountyME | $193 /wk |
| Waldo CountyME | $225 /wk |
| Washington CountyME | $229 /wk |
PRICE TREND · MEDIAN WEEKLY
How childcare prices in Penobscot County changed
| Year | Median weekly price |
|---|---|
| 2012 | $158 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2013 | $160 |
| 2014 | $167 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2015 | $173 |
| 2016 | $173 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2017 | $173 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2018 | $173 |
| 2019 | $194 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2020 | $214 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2021 | $235 |
| 2022 | $256 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
† Value statistically imputed by DOL — see methodology
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Frequently asked questions
- How much does infant childcare cost in Penobscot County?
- The median price is $256 per week ($1,108 per month, $13,295 per year) at a child care center in Penobscot County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- Is childcare affordable in Penobscot County?
- Infant care at a child care center costs about $13,295 a year, or 16.2% 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 Penobscot County?
- The median price is $183 per week ($794 per month, $9,533 per year) at a family child care home in Penobscot County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- How much does toddler daycare cost in Penobscot County?
- The median price is $204 per week ($883 per month, $10,591 per year) at a child care center in Penobscot County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- How much does preschool cost in Penobscot County?
- The median price is $188 per week ($816 per month, $9,793 per year) at a child care center in Penobscot County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.