Full-time daycare for one toddler costs $1,382 a month in the U.S. as of October 2026. In 1980 it cost $200, or $819 in today’s dollars. Adjusted for inflation, daycare costs 69% more today than in 1980.
Price at the time In October 2026 dollars
U.S. full-time, licensed center, monthly. ≈ marks estimates between data points.
| Year | Price | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | $200 | $819 |
| 1981 | ≈$211 | ≈$782 |
| 1982 | ≈$222 | ≈$776 |
| 1983 | ≈$234 | ≈$793 |
| 1984 | ≈$247 | ≈$801 |
| 1985 | $260 | $815 |
| 1986 | ≈$276 | ≈$849 |
| 1987 | ≈$293 | ≈$869 |
| 1988 | ≈$311 | ≈$886 |
| 1989 | ≈$330 | ≈$897 |
| 1990 | $350 | $903 |
| 1991 | ≈$363 | ≈$899 |
| 1992 | ≈$376 | ≈$905 |
| 1993 | ≈$390 | ≈$911 |
| 1994 | ≈$405 | ≈$922 |
| 1995 | $420 | $929 |
| 1996 | ≈$435 | ≈$935 |
| 1997 | ≈$450 | ≈$946 |
| 1998 | ≈$466 | ≈$965 |
| 1999 | ≈$483 | ≈$978 |
| 2000 | $500 | $979 |
| 2001 | ≈$522 | ≈$994 |
| 2002 | ≈$545 | ≈$1,022 |
| 2003 | ≈$569 | ≈$1,043 |
| 2004 | ≈$594 | ≈$1,060 |
| 2005 | $620 | $1,071 |
| 2006 | ≈$652 | ≈$1,091 |
| 2007 | ≈$687 | ≈$1,117 |
| 2008 | ≈$722 | ≈$1,132 |
| 2009 | ≈$760 | ≈$1,195 |
| 2010 | $800 | $1,237 |
| 2011 | ≈$828 | ≈$1,242 |
| 2012 | ≈$857 | ≈$1,259 |
| 2013 | ≈$887 | ≈$1,284 |
| 2014 | ≈$918 | ≈$1,308 |
| 2015 | $950 | $1,352 |
| 2016 | ≈$974 | ≈$1,369 |
| 2017 | ≈$999 | ≈$1,374 |
| 2018 | ≈$1,024 | ≈$1,375 |
| 2019 | $1,050 | $1,385 |
| 2020 | $1,090 | $1,422 |
| 2021 | ≈$1,134 | ≈$1,404 |
| 2022 | $1,180 | $1,343 |
| 2023 | $1,250 | $1,380 |
| 2024 | $1,300 | $1,395 |
| 2025 | $1,340 | $1,400 |
| Oct 2026 (latest) | $1,382 | $1,382 |
Among the 2,314 U.S. places with at least 20,000 people, as of October 2026. Scaled by local wages: BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages county averages.
| San Jose, CA | $3,273 |
| Sunnyvale, CA | $3,273 |
| Santa Clara, CA | $3,273 |
| Mountain View (city), CA | $3,273 |
| Milpitas, CA | $3,273 |
| Rexburg, ID | $820 |
| Alton, TX | $829 |
| Alamo, TX | $829 |
| San Juan (city), TX | $829 |
| Weslaco, TX | $829 |
Child Care Aware of America, Price of Care surveys. Years before about 1990 are estimates.
For cities: Scaled by local wages: BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages county averages.
Each year shows the U.S. figure at midyear. Years marked ≈ fall between this series’ data points and are estimated by smooth interpolation between them. Today’s dollars use the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). How it works.
College tuition by yearFamily health insurance premiums by yearCost of having a baby by yearAverage wedding cost by year
What everything cost in 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020. All prices.