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 $8,581 a year in the typical county in Virginia, or $715 a month, 6.7% more than the $8,040 for the typical county nationally. Care for a 4-year-old and an 8-year-old comes to about $17,284 a year. The cost of care for one preschooler is 9.3% 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, 5 of Virginia's 133 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 16.6% of the total in the typical county.
Build a budget with your own child care cost, or see the rest of what Virginia costs.
Care for a 4-year-old costs most in Arlington County ($30,192), Alexandria city ($25,811) and Loudoun County ($20,379), and least in Martinsville city ($4,563), Henry County ($4,563) and Danville city ($4,563). Metro counties are priced at child care centers, other counties at home-based family child care.
| Accomack County | $6,236 | $520 | $12,472 | 8.6% |
| Albemarle County | $13,590 | $1,133 | $25,458 | 10.3% |
| Alexandria city | $25,811 | $2,151 | $48,910 | 16.8% |
| Alleghany County | $5,782 | $482 | $11,925 | 8.0% |
| Amelia County | $6,855 | $571 | $14,059 | 8.6% |
| Amherst County | $6,030 | $503 | $15,082 | 6.7% |
| Appomattox County | $6,436 | $536 | $12,877 | 8.1% |
| Arlington County | $30,192 | $2,516 | $55,496 | 15.5% |
| Augusta County | $8,744 | $729 | $19,369 | 9.3% |
| Bath County | $9,036 | $753 | $16,813 | 10.6% |
| Bedford County | $6,996 | $583 | $13,383 | 7.6% |
| Bland County | $7,037 | $586 | $13,292 | 10.4% |
| Botetourt County | $8,569 | $714 | $17,574 | 9.0% |
| Bristol city | $6,388 | $532 | $11,863 | 9.2% |
| Brunswick County | $6,143 | $512 | $11,563 | 9.9% |
| Buchanan County | $5,779 | $482 | $13,601 | 11.8% |
| Buckingham County | $5,171 | $431 | $11,689 | 6.6% |
| Buena Vista city | $7,604 | $634 | $18,467 | 12.8% |
| Campbell County | $6,692 | $558 | $13,383 | 8.5% |
| Caroline County | $8,991 | $749 | $18,374 | 9.0% |
| Carroll County | $5,475 | $456 | $12,428 | 8.1% |
| Charles City County | $8,218 | $685 | $16,189 | 9.1% |
| Charlotte County | $6,236 | $520 | $11,738 | 8.8% |
| Charlottesville city | $13,914 | $1,160 | $26,040 | 12.1% |
| Chesapeake city | $10,942 | $912 | $20,238 | 9.7% |
| Chesterfield County | $12,873 | $1,073 | $24,028 | 10.9% |
| Clarke County | $10,615 | $885 | $19,866 | 7.8% |
| Colonial Heights city | $12,062 | $1,005 | $26,228 | 13.1% |
| Covington city | $4,867 | $406 | $12,254 | 8.5% |
| Craig County | $7,014 | $585 | $14,064 | 8.4% |
| Culpeper County | $9,649 | $804 | $20,274 | 9.1% |
| Cumberland County | $6,236 | $520 | $11,738 | 9.6% |
| Danville city | $4,563 | $380 | $10,212 | 7.6% |
| Dickenson County | $5,475 | $456 | $12,428 | 10.3% |
| Dinwiddie County | $7,840 | $653 | $17,284 | 8.0% |
| Emporia city | $8,311 | $693 | $15,538 | 13.9% |
| Essex County | $8,437 | $703 | $15,774 | 11.5% |
| Fairfax city | $18,683 | $1,557 | $33,034 | 11.2% |
| Fairfax County | $18,683 | $1,557 | $33,034 | 10.5% |
| Falls Church city | $18,997 | $1,583 | $41,821 | 9.0% |
| Fauquier County | $9,489 | $791 | $18,397 | 6.4% |
| Floyd County | $5,864 | $489 | $12,510 | 7.2% |
| Fluvanna County | $8,443 | $704 | $18,281 | 8.3% |
| Franklin city | $9,940 | $828 | $18,945 | 12.1% |
| Franklin County | $7,883 | $657 | $16,528 | 9.4% |
| Frederick County | $9,046 | $754 | $18,884 | 8.1% |
| Fredericksburg city | $10,553 | $879 | $23,933 | 8.1% |
| Galax city | $5,475 | $456 | $12,428 | 8.1% |
| Giles County | $7,883 | $657 | $15,808 | 9.8% |
| Gloucester County | $10,968 | $914 | $20,693 | 11.2% |
| Goochland County | $12,384 | $1,032 | $21,635 | 8.9% |
| Grayson County | $5,475 | $456 | $12,428 | 9.3% |
| Greene County | $8,443 | $704 | $18,281 | 9.2% |
| Greensville County | $6,996 | $583 | $16,266 | 9.8% |
| Halifax County | $5,171 | $431 | $12,124 | 7.9% |
| Hampton city | $9,166 | $764 | $17,137 | 10.9% |
| Hanover County | $11,694 | $975 | $21,736 | 9.0% |
| Harrisonburg city | $8,582 | $715 | $15,667 | 10.6% |
| Henrico County | $11,361 | $947 | $20,780 | 10.3% |
| Henry County | $4,563 | $380 | $11,950 | 6.9% |
| Highland County | $9,774 | $815 | $19,547 | 12.7% |
| Hopewell city | $8,912 | $743 | $17,557 | 15.9% |
| Isle of Wight County | $8,443 | $704 | $18,281 | 7.3% |
| James City County | $11,464 | $955 | $19,169 | 9.0% |
| King and Queen County | $8,912 | $743 | $17,557 | 10.2% |
| King George County | $9,553 | $796 | $17,623 | 7.7% |
| King William County | $8,583 | $715 | $16,195 | 8.6% |
| Lancaster County | $8,991 | $749 | $16,810 | 10.7% |
| Lee County | $5,475 | $456 | $12,891 | 9.1% |
| Lexington city | $7,945 | $662 | $20,229 | 7.8% |
| Loudoun County | $20,379 | $1,698 | $33,930 | 10.2% |
| Louisa County | $9,774 | $815 | $19,547 | 9.9% |
| Lunenburg County | $5,171 | $431 | $12,124 | 7.4% |
| Lynchburg city | $6,692 | $558 | $13,383 | 9.0% |
| Madison County | $11,311 | $943 | $23,198 | 10.8% |
| Manassas city | $14,531 | $1,211 | $24,181 | 11.7% |
| Manassas Park city | $18,695 | $1,558 | $39,158 | 18.1% |
| Martinsville city | $4,563 | $380 | $11,950 | 8.0% |
| Mathews County | $8,205 | $684 | $15,497 | 9.0% |
| Mecklenburg County | $6,646 | $554 | $12,510 | 9.0% |
| Middlesex County | $8,991 | $749 | $16,810 | 9.7% |
| Montgomery County | $10,342 | $862 | $20,379 | 9.9% |
| Nelson County | $9,597 | $800 | $19,682 | 11.0% |
| New Kent County | $9,553 | $796 | $16,726 | 7.5% |
| Newport News city | $9,166 | $764 | $17,469 | 11.3% |
| Norfolk city | $10,626 | $886 | $19,991 | 13.1% |
| Northampton County | $7,337 | $611 | $14,673 | 9.3% |
| Northumberland County | $8,991 | $749 | $16,810 | 10.7% |
| Norton city | $5,475 | $456 | $12,428 | 9.7% |
| Nottoway County | $5,171 | $431 | $11,689 | 6.1% |
| Orange County | $8,581 | $715 | $20,374 | 7.8% |
| Page County | $9,774 | $815 | $19,547 | 13.5% |
| Patrick County | $5,420 | $452 | $11,563 | 7.4% |
| Petersburg city | $7,198 | $600 | $14,402 | 11.2% |
| Pittsylvania County | $5,201 | $433 | $11,097 | 7.5% |
| Poquoson city | $10,252 | $854 | $22,845 | 8.0% |
| Portsmouth city | $9,099 | $758 | $18,330 | 13.2% |
| Powhatan County | $10,190 | $849 | $17,363 | 8.2% |
| Prince Edward County | $5,403 | $450 | $12,773 | 7.1% |
| Prince George County | $7,840 | $653 | $17,284 | 8.2% |
| Prince William County | $16,240 | $1,353 | $27,133 | 11.5% |
| Pulaski County | $7,883 | $657 | $15,808 | 9.9% |
| Radford city | $6,996 | $583 | $13,688 | 8.3% |
| Rappahannock County | $12,939 | $1,078 | $26,408 | 12.9% |
| Richmond city | $11,311 | $943 | $20,316 | 13.4% |
| Richmond County | $7,310 | $609 | $17,137 | 8.6% |
| Roanoke city | $9,141 | $762 | $17,754 | 13.4% |
| Roanoke County | $10,283 | $857 | $20,368 | 10.0% |
| Rockbridge County | $7,945 | $662 | $20,229 | 10.0% |
| Rockingham County | $8,443 | $704 | $17,101 | 8.9% |
| Russell County | $5,475 | $456 | $12,428 | 8.2% |
| Salem city | $9,482 | $790 | $18,782 | 10.8% |
| Scott County | $6,083 | $507 | $11,863 | 9.4% |
| Shenandoah County | $6,936 | $578 | $13,178 | 8.6% |
| Smyth County | $6,504 | $542 | $12,286 | 10.0% |
| Southampton County | $8,989 | $749 | $17,131 | 10.0% |
| Spotsylvania County | $11,782 | $982 | $21,081 | 9.7% |
| Stafford County | $13,056 | $1,088 | $22,089 | 8.8% |
| Staunton city | $9,940 | $828 | $19,665 | 11.6% |
| Suffolk city | $9,977 | $831 | $18,653 | 9.2% |
| Surry County | $8,991 | $749 | $16,810 | 9.7% |
| Sussex County | $7,840 | $653 | $17,284 | 9.5% |
| Tazewell County | $5,475 | $456 | $12,428 | 8.6% |
| Virginia Beach city | $11,586 | $966 | $20,882 | 10.7% |
| Warren County | $7,840 | $653 | $17,284 | 8.2% |
| Washington County | $6,634 | $553 | $15,292 | 8.1% |
| Waynesboro city | $9,269 | $772 | $18,338 | 13.1% |
| Westmoreland County | $8,991 | $749 | $16,810 | 10.8% |
| Williamsburg city | $9,666 | $806 | $22,283 | 9.8% |
| Winchester city | $9,482 | $790 | $17,785 | 11.6% |
| Wise County | $5,475 | $456 | $12,428 | 8.9% |
| Wythe County | $6,603 | $550 | $12,472 | 8.5% |
| York County | $10,342 | $862 | $20,075 | 8.0% |
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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