Here’s How Much It Costs to Send a Child to Daycare in New York State

Childcare costs in New York are among the most expensive in the nation.

Having a child is becoming increasingly cost prohibitive in America, but some states are a lot worse than others - especially when it comes to daycare.

In 2017, it was estimated that a middle-class family would spend an average of $233,610 to raise a child from birth to age 17.

Today, that number has ballooned to $306,924, according to Credit Karma.

One of the biggest expenditures has increasingly been center-based child care.

Recent Census data suggests the average American family spends between $5,357 and $17,171 a year on preschool, infant care, and day care.

Pair that with the decreasing availability and potential cuts to federal child care support programs, more families may soon face some terribly difficult decisions.

DeMayo Law, a personal injury law firm, looked into the states where parents are paying the highest and lowest amount of money on childcare.

Shocking probably nobody was where New York ended up on the list.

Massachusetts Was #1

The firm's study found childcare costs in the Bay State have the worst burden on family budgets, with the average parent losing about 30% of their entire income on daycare costs.

Based on a median income of $60,690 and the average annual childcare cost coming to about $18,380, that drains one's salary by 30.29 percent.

The state with the second highest cost burden was none other than New York.

The firm found the average annual salary ranges around $56,840 a year. Pair that with an average annual childcare cost of $17,119, it means one loses roughly 30.12% of their annual salary.

Read More: Here's Why New York Is the 4th "Most Expensive" State in America

Nevada, Hawaii, and Minnesota respectively rounded out the top 5.

Michael DeMayo, founder of the law firm, warned of dramatic consequences if costs continue to rise while salaries remain stagnant.

Parents in states like Massachusetts and New York are dedicating nearly a third of their income to childcare expenses, which can limit their ability to save for the future or cover other essential needs.

The U.S. Department of Labor is already sounding the alarm and warns these expenses are becoming increasingly untenable. The department is calling upon lawmakers to invest more in childcare resources to help bring down the price.

On the other end of the spectrum was Mississippi, which had the lowest childcare costs in the country.

Residents have an average annual income of around $37,500 while daycare costs about $4,636 a year - leading to families putting aside 12.36% of their income on this expenditure.

How much do you spend a month on childcare? Let us know by giving us a shout using the station app below.

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