MEDIAN · INFANT · CENTER-BASED
How much does childcare cost in McDowell County, NC?
In McDowell County, NC, the median price of infant care at a child care center is $164 a week ($710 a month, $8,523 a year)†.
$164
per week · McDowell County, NC · 2022 (latest official data) · † statistically imputed by DOL
≈ $192 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 | $164† | $150† |
| Toddler | $141† | $135† |
| Preschool | $134† | $130† |
| School-age‡ | $99† | $72† |
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 McDowell County?
Infant care at a child care center costs about $8,523 a year† — that is 13.0% of the county’s median family income of $65,510 (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 McDowell County?
Uses McDowell County’s official 2022 median prices. Income is prefilled with the county median family income — change it to your own.
ESTIMATED COST IN MCDOWELL COUNTY
$8,523
per year · $710 per month (÷ 12)
- Share of income
- 13.0%
- Benchmark (7% of income)
- $4,586 /yr
That is above the 7%-of-income childcare benchmark.
INFANT · CENTER-BASED · WEEKLY
How McDowell County compares
- McDowell County$164 /wk†
- North Carolina median$203 /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 McDowell County
| County | Infant, center |
|---|---|
| Avery CountyNC | $238 /wk |
| Buncombe CountyNC | $191 /wk |
| Burke CountyNC | $181 /wk |
| Mitchell CountyNC | $149 /wk |
| Rutherford CountyNC | $161 /wk |
| Yancey CountyNC | $195 /wk |
PRICE TREND · MEDIAN WEEKLY
How childcare prices in McDowell County changed
| Year | Median weekly price |
|---|---|
| 2014 | $133 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2015 | $138 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2016 | $146 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2017 | $154 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2018 | $163 |
| 2019 | $171 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2020 | $179 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2022 | $164 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
† Value statistically imputed by DOL — see methodology
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Frequently asked questions
- How much does infant childcare cost in McDowell County?
- The median price is $164 per week ($710 per month, $8,523 per year) at a child care center in McDowell County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- Is childcare affordable in McDowell County?
- Infant care at a child care center costs about $8,523 a year, or 13.0% 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 McDowell County?
- The median price is $150 per week ($650 per month, $7,799 per year) at a family child care home in McDowell County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- How much does toddler daycare cost in McDowell County?
- The median price is $141 per week ($613 per month, $7,350 per year) at a child care center in McDowell County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- How much does preschool cost in McDowell County?
- The median price is $134 per week ($581 per month, $6,976 per year) at a child care center in McDowell County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.