What care costs for a preschooler and for two children, county by county, and how it compares with what families here earn.
Full-time care for a 4-year-old costs about $6,991 a year in the typical county in Kentucky, or $583 a month, 13.1% less than the $8,040 for the typical county nationally. Care for a 4-year-old and an 8-year-old comes to about $13,871 a year. The cost of care for one preschooler is 9.7% of median family income in the typical county.
The federal Department of Health and Human Services counts child care as affordable when it takes no more than 7% of family income. For one 4-year-old, 4 of Kentucky's 120 counties meet that at the median family income; nationally, 259 of 3,131 counties do. In the budget EPI draws up for two parents and two children, child care is 15.0% of the total in the typical county. In 3 counties, care for one preschooler costs more than the family's housing.
Build a budget with your own child care cost, or see the rest of what Kentucky costs.
Care for a 4-year-old costs most in Gallatin County ($11,499), Pendleton County ($11,499) and Jefferson County ($11,189), and least in Whitley County ($4,935), Rowan County ($4,935) and Montgomery County ($4,935). Metro counties are priced at child care centers, other counties at home-based family child care.
| Adair County | $5,087 | $424 | $10,275 | 7.9% |
| Allen County | $8,176 | $681 | $16,118 | 10.7% |
| Anderson County | $7,426 | $619 | $13,650 | 8.6% |
| Ballard County | $7,372 | $614 | $14,744 | 8.9% |
| Barren County | $6,029 | $502 | $12,666 | 9.7% |
| Bath County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 7.2% |
| Bell County | $5,037 | $420 | $10,074 | 10.9% |
| Boone County | $10,334 | $861 | $20,722 | 9.1% |
| Bourbon County | $10,173 | $848 | $20,408 | 13.3% |
| Boyd County | $6,517 | $543 | $13,034 | 9.0% |
| Boyle County | $7,961 | $663 | $15,199 | 10.2% |
| Bracken County | $6,865 | $572 | $14,136 | 9.0% |
| Breathitt County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 9.1% |
| Breckinridge County | $7,591 | $633 | $13,871 | 10.7% |
| Bullitt County | $8,023 | $669 | $15,297 | 8.9% |
| Butler County | $8,176 | $681 | $16,118 | 12.2% |
| Caldwell County | $7,310 | $609 | $14,621 | 9.6% |
| Calloway County | $7,006 | $584 | $14,621 | 9.0% |
| Campbell County | $10,334 | $861 | $20,722 | 9.8% |
| Carlisle County | $7,372 | $614 | $14,744 | 10.3% |
| Carroll County | $10,575 | $881 | $19,110 | 14.3% |
| Carter County | $6,865 | $572 | $14,136 | 10.6% |
| Casey County | $5,087 | $424 | $10,275 | 9.7% |
| Christian County | $6,129 | $511 | $12,646 | 9.8% |
| Clark County | $9,327 | $777 | $17,553 | 11.0% |
| Clay County | $4,985 | $415 | $10,072 | 11.0% |
| Clinton County | $5,087 | $424 | $10,275 | 9.3% |
| Crittenden County | $7,372 | $614 | $14,744 | 9.7% |
| Cumberland County | $5,087 | $424 | $10,275 | 9.3% |
| Daviess County | $6,975 | $581 | $14,337 | 8.4% |
| Edmonson County | $8,176 | $681 | $16,118 | 12.1% |
| Elliott County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 10.2% |
| Estill County | $9,455 | $788 | $17,264 | 16.0% |
| Fayette County | $9,481 | $790 | $17,838 | 9.9% |
| Fleming County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 7.9% |
| Floyd County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 8.8% |
| Franklin County | $6,006 | $501 | $11,723 | 7.0% |
| Fulton County | $7,310 | $609 | $14,621 | 14.9% |
| Gallatin County | $11,499 | $958 | $22,826 | 17.1% |
| Garrard County | $9,455 | $788 | $17,264 | 13.4% |
| Grant County | $10,984 | $915 | $21,827 | 13.9% |
| Graves County | $7,006 | $584 | $14,621 | 11.2% |
| Grayson County | $7,591 | $633 | $13,871 | 11.6% |
| Green County | $5,087 | $424 | $10,275 | 9.0% |
| Greenup County | $6,517 | $543 | $13,034 | 8.9% |
| Hancock County | $8,176 | $681 | $16,118 | 10.4% |
| Hardin County | $7,820 | $652 | $14,891 | 9.4% |
| Harlan County | $4,935 | $411 | $9,972 | 9.6% |
| Harrison County | $10,575 | $881 | $19,110 | 13.5% |
| Hart County | $6,389 | $532 | $12,779 | 10.0% |
| Henderson County | $6,975 | $581 | $14,337 | 9.3% |
| Henry County | $8,441 | $703 | $16,081 | 10.8% |
| Hickman County | $7,372 | $614 | $14,744 | 9.0% |
| Hopkins County | $7,310 | $609 | $14,621 | 10.5% |
| Jackson County | $4,985 | $415 | $10,072 | 9.3% |
| Jefferson County | $11,189 | $932 | $21,684 | 12.7% |
| Jessamine County | $9,327 | $777 | $17,553 | 10.1% |
| Johnson County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 8.6% |
| Kenton County | $10,334 | $861 | $20,722 | 10.3% |
| Knott County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 10.6% |
| Knox County | $4,935 | $411 | $9,972 | 11.4% |
| Larue County | $9,049 | $754 | $16,690 | 11.7% |
| Laurel County | $4,935 | $411 | $9,972 | 7.4% |
| Lawrence County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 7.8% |
| Lee County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 11.7% |
| Leslie County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 8.9% |
| Letcher County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 9.1% |
| Lewis County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 8.6% |
| Lincoln County | $9,455 | $788 | $17,264 | 15.6% |
| Livingston County | $7,372 | $614 | $14,744 | 10.0% |
| Logan County | $6,389 | $532 | $12,779 | 8.4% |
| Lyon County | $7,372 | $614 | $14,744 | 8.8% |
| Madison County | $7,961 | $663 | $15,199 | 9.9% |
| Magoffin County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 12.7% |
| Marion County | $7,591 | $633 | $13,871 | 11.1% |
| Marshall County | $7,372 | $614 | $14,744 | 9.5% |
| Martin County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 10.0% |
| Mason County | $5,037 | $420 | $9,422 | 7.6% |
| McCracken County | $7,006 | $584 | $14,621 | 8.4% |
| McCreary County | $5,087 | $424 | $10,275 | 12.2% |
| McLean County | $8,176 | $681 | $16,118 | 9.0% |
| Meade County | $9,049 | $754 | $16,690 | 11.3% |
| Menifee County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 9.2% |
| Mercer County | $9,381 | $782 | $17,125 | 11.1% |
| Metcalfe County | $6,389 | $532 | $12,779 | 11.1% |
| Monroe County | $6,389 | $532 | $12,779 | 10.2% |
| Montgomery County | $4,935 | $411 | $9,320 | 6.7% |
| Morgan County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 8.4% |
| Muhlenberg County | $7,310 | $609 | $14,621 | 10.4% |
| Nelson County | $7,527 | $627 | $13,751 | 9.3% |
| Nicholas County | $10,656 | $888 | $19,240 | 15.6% |
| Ohio County | $6,389 | $532 | $12,779 | 10.7% |
| Oldham County | $8,023 | $669 | $15,297 | 5.9% |
| Owen County | $10,656 | $888 | $19,240 | 13.5% |
| Owsley County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 11.8% |
| Pendleton County | $11,499 | $958 | $22,826 | 14.5% |
| Perry County | $5,087 | $424 | $9,519 | 9.5% |
| Pike County | $5,087 | $424 | $9,519 | 8.7% |
| Powell County | $9,381 | $782 | $17,125 | 13.2% |
| Pulaski County | $5,212 | $434 | $9,844 | 8.3% |
| Robertson County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 8.7% |
| Rockcastle County | $4,985 | $415 | $10,072 | 8.0% |
| Rowan County | $4,935 | $411 | $9,320 | 6.8% |
| Russell County | $5,087 | $424 | $10,275 | 7.6% |
| Scott County | $10,984 | $915 | $21,827 | 11.0% |
| Shelby County | $8,023 | $669 | $15,297 | 8.2% |
| Simpson County | $6,333 | $528 | $12,666 | 8.8% |
| Spencer County | $8,441 | $703 | $16,081 | 7.6% |
| Taylor County | $5,212 | $434 | $9,844 | 6.6% |
| Todd County | $7,372 | $614 | $14,744 | 10.4% |
| Trigg County | $7,302 | $609 | $14,370 | 10.5% |
| Trimble County | $7,490 | $624 | $13,770 | 9.8% |
| Union County | $6,333 | $528 | $12,666 | 8.9% |
| Warren County | $6,975 | $581 | $14,337 | 8.5% |
| Washington County | $7,591 | $633 | $13,871 | 9.2% |
| Wayne County | $5,037 | $420 | $10,176 | 8.7% |
| Webster County | $6,389 | $532 | $12,779 | 9.6% |
| Whitley County | $4,935 | $411 | $9,972 | 9.2% |
| Wolfe County | $4,985 | $415 | $9,417 | 14.2% |
| Woodford County | $8,023 | $669 | $15,297 | 7.8% |
Click a column to sort it. The share compares care for one 4-year-old with the county's median family income. A dash means EPI publishes no income figure for that county.
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