MEDIAN · INFANT · CENTER-BASED
How much does childcare cost in King County, WA?
In King County, WA, the median price of infant care at a child care center is $478 a week ($2,073 a month, $24,879 a year)†.
$478
per week · King County, WA · 2022 (latest official data) · † statistically imputed by DOL
≈ $560 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 | $478† | $347† |
| Toddler | $390† | $310† |
| Preschool | $390† | $310† |
| School-age‡ | $289† | $245† |
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 King County?
Infant care at a child care center costs about $24,879 a year† — that is 17.0% of the county’s median family income of $146,231 (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 King County?
Uses King County’s official 2022 median prices. Income is prefilled with the county median family income — change it to your own.
ESTIMATED COST IN KING COUNTY
$24,879
per year · $2,073 per month (÷ 12)
- Share of income
- 17.0%
- Benchmark (7% of income)
- $10,236 /yr
That is above the 7%-of-income childcare benchmark.
INFANT · CENTER-BASED · WEEKLY
How King County compares
- King County$478 /wk†
- Washington median$357 /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 King County
| County | Infant, center |
|---|---|
| Chelan CountyWA | $237 /wk |
| Kitsap CountyWA | $328 /wk |
| Kittitas CountyWA | $270 /wk |
| Pierce CountyWA | $328 /wk |
| Snohomish CountyWA | $363 /wk |
| Yakima CountyWA | $270 /wk |
PRICE TREND · MEDIAN WEEKLY
How childcare prices in King County changed
| Year | Median weekly price |
|---|---|
| 2008 | $199 |
| 2009 | $222 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2010 | $245 |
| 2011 | $241 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2012 | $237 |
| 2013 | $304 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2014 | $370 |
| 2015 | $368 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2016 | $367 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2017 | $366 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2018 | $365 |
| 2019 | $393 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2020 | $422 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
| 2021 | $450 |
| 2022 | $478 (statistically imputed by DOL) |
† Value statistically imputed by DOL — see methodology
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Frequently asked questions
- How much does infant childcare cost in King County?
- The median price is $478 per week ($2,073 per month, $24,879 per year) at a child care center in King County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- Is childcare affordable in King County?
- Infant care at a child care center costs about $24,879 a year, or 17.0% 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 King County?
- The median price is $347 per week ($1,503 per month, $18,040 per year) at a family child care home in King County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- How much does toddler daycare cost in King County?
- The median price is $390 per week ($1,689 per month, $20,264 per year) at a child care center in King County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.
- How much does preschool cost in King County?
- The median price is $390 per week ($1,689 per month, $20,264 per year) at a child care center in King County, based on 2022 (latest official data). This figure was statistically imputed by DOL.