You need this much money to 'comfortably afford' childcare in Pennsylvania, NJ and Delaware

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Published  February 4, 2026 10:13am EST
FOX 29 Philadelphia

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The Brief

    • The average American household can't comfortably afford childcare costs this year, according to a recent report.
    • Childcare costs continue to rise, with the national average reaching nearly $30,000 a year.
    • Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware all ranked in the top 30 states with the highest income gap.

PENNSYLVANIA - Working parents need childcare, but as costs skyrocket across the United States, the options are becoming even more limited.

By the numbers:

A recent study states that the average annual cost of childcare for an infant and a 4-year-old in the U.S. is currently $28,190.

Childcare is considered affordable when a household spends only 7% of its income, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In order to meet both standards, a household needs to earn an average of $403,708 a year — which is 176.5% higher than the average income of a family with two kids.

Local perspective:

That gap becomes even wider when costs are broken down by state, with Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware ranking above the national average.

Pennsylvania was named the 28th highest with a 177.1% difference:

  • Average childcare costs for an infant and 4-year-old: $27,363
  • Income needed to comfortably afford childcare: $390,900
  • Average income for households with two kids: $141,060

New Jersey's difference was slightly higher at 180.4%, making it the 24th highest:

  • Average childcare costs for an infant and 4-year-old: $37,716
  • Income needed to comfortably afford childcare: $538,800
  • Average income for households with two kids: $192,156

Delaware ranked even closer to the top, landing 16th on the list with a 214.3% difference:

  • Average childcare costs for an infant and 4-year-old: $29,835
  • Income needed to comfortably afford childcare: $426,214
  • Average income for households with two kids: $135,610

You need to make this much to live comfortably in Pennsylvania, NJ and Delaware

Hawaii ended up requiring the highest salary to live comfortably, but here's how Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware compare:

Big picture view:

Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware's numbers aren't even the highest!

Hawaii households need to earn 269.7% more than the average income to afford childcare, followed closely by Nebraska at 263% and Montana at 257.8%.

Families in South Dakota come the closest to affording child care, but still need 95.4% more than the state's average income.

Tips to afford childcare

What you can do:

Experts say families have several tools and strategies they can use to help make childcare more affordable:

  • Ask your employer about childcare-related benefits
  • Research federal, state and local assistance programs, such as universal pre-K and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
  • Compare alternative care, like nanny shares, co-ops and part-time preschool slots
  • Adjust schedules to reduce total hours in care
  • Ask about payment flexibility, sibling discounts or sliding-scale fees

The Source: Information for this article was provided by LendingTree.

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