MEDIAN · INFANT · CENTER-BASED
How much does childcare cost in St. Louis city, MO?
In St. Louis city, MO, the median price of infant care at a child care center is $219 a week ($950 a month, $11,396 a year)†.
$219
per week · St. Louis city, MO · 2022 (latest official data) · † statistically imputed by DOL
≈ $256 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 | $219† | $151† |
| Toddler | $173† | $134† |
| Preschool | $173† | $134† |
| School-age‡ | $118† | $164† |
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 St. Louis city?
Infant care at a child care center costs about $11,396 a year† — that is 15.7% of the county’s median family income of $72,655 (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 St. Louis city?
Uses St. Louis city’s official 2022 median prices. Income is prefilled with the county median family income — change it to your own.
ESTIMATED COST IN ST. LOUIS CITY
$11,396
per year · $950 per month (÷ 12)
- Share of income
- 15.7%
- Benchmark (7% of income)
- $5,086 /yr
That is above the 7%-of-income childcare benchmark.
INFANT · CENTER-BASED · WEEKLY
How St. Louis city compares
- St. Louis city$219 /wk†
- Missouri median$215 /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 St. Louis city
| County | Infant, center |
|---|---|
| Madison CountyIL | $288 /wk |
| St. Clair CountyIL | $238 /wk |
| St. Louis CountyMO | no data available |
PRICE TREND · MEDIAN WEEKLY
How childcare prices in St. Louis city changed
| Year | Median weekly price |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $152 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2016 | $152 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2017 | $186 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2018 | $219 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2019 | $253 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2020 | $219 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
† Value statistically imputed by DOL — see methodology
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Frequently asked questions
- How much does infant childcare cost in St. Louis city?
- The median price is $219 per week ($950 per month, $11,396 per year) at a child care center in St. Louis city, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- Is childcare affordable in St. Louis city?
- Infant care at a child care center costs about $11,396 a year, or 15.7% 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 St. Louis city?
- The median price is $151 per week ($653 per month, $7,842 per year) at a family child care home in St. Louis city, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- How much does toddler daycare cost in St. Louis city?
- The median price is $173 per week ($750 per month, $8,995 per year) at a child care center in St. Louis city, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- How much does preschool cost in St. Louis city?
- The median price is $173 per week ($750 per month, $8,995 per year) at a child care center in St. Louis city, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.