MEDIAN · INFANT · CENTER-BASED
How much does childcare cost in Essex County, NJ?
In Essex County, NJ, the median price of infant care at a child care center is $296 a week ($1,282 a month, $15,390 a year)†.
$296
per week · Essex County, NJ · 2022 (latest official data) · † statistically imputed by DOL
≈ $346 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 | $296† | $186† |
| Toddler | $287† | $186† |
| Preschool | $287† | $174† |
| School-age‡ | $143† | $150† |
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 Essex County?
Infant care at a child care center costs about $15,390 a year† — that is 15.8% of the county’s median family income of $97,380 (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 Essex County?
Uses Essex County’s official 2022 median prices. Income is prefilled with the county median family income — change it to your own.
ESTIMATED COST IN ESSEX COUNTY
$15,390
per year · $1,282 per month (÷ 12)
- Share of income
- 15.8%
- Benchmark (7% of income)
- $6,817 /yr
That is above the 7%-of-income childcare benchmark.
INFANT · CENTER-BASED · WEEKLY
How Essex County compares
- Essex County$296 /wk†
- New Jersey median$314 /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 Essex County
| County | Infant, center |
|---|---|
| Bergen CountyNJ | $318 /wk |
| Hudson CountyNJ | $322 /wk |
| Morris CountyNJ | $327 /wk |
| Passaic CountyNJ | $308 /wk |
| Union CountyNJ | $299 /wk |
PRICE TREND · MEDIAN WEEKLY
How childcare prices in Essex County changed
| Year | Median weekly price |
|---|---|
| 2008 | $179 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2009 | $179 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2010 | $179 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2011 | $179 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2012 | $179 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2013 | $181 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2014 | $182 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2015 | $184 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2016 | $185 |
| 2017 | $203 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2018 | $222 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2019 | $240 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2020 | $259 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2021 | $277 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2022 | $296 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
† Value statistically imputed by DOL — see methodology
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Frequently asked questions
- How much does infant childcare cost in Essex County?
- The median price is $296 per week ($1,282 per month, $15,390 per year) at a child care center in Essex County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- Is childcare affordable in Essex County?
- Infant care at a child care center costs about $15,390 a year, or 15.8% 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 Essex County?
- The median price is $186 per week ($804 per month, $9,651 per year) at a family child care home in Essex County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- How much does toddler daycare cost in Essex County?
- The median price is $287 per week ($1,245 per month, $14,944 per year) at a child care center in Essex County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- How much does preschool cost in Essex County?
- The median price is $287 per week ($1,245 per month, $14,944 per year) at a child care center in Essex County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.