Childcare costs in North Carolina by county
2022 prices (latest official data)
In 2022, the median price of full-time infant care at a childcare center ranged from $109.46 a week in Alleghany County to $354.86 a week in Orange County, across the 99 North Carolina counties with a published price. Pick a county for every age group and care type.
The Department of Labor does not publish one statewide price, so we don't make one up. Prices are in 2022 dollars, not adjusted for inflation. 1 of 100 counties have no published price and are not listed.
Median weekly price by county, 2022
| County | Center, infant | Center, preschool | Family care, infant | Family care, preschool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alamance County | $145.19est. | $112.67est. | $149.99est. | $140.16est. |
| Alexander County | $158.91est. | $118.06est. | $107.99est. | $97.79est. |
| Alleghany County | $109.46est. | $108.88est. | $149.85est. | $109.40est. |
| Anson County | $158.73est. | $125.21est. | $145.19est. | $111.60est. |
| Ashe County | $168.50est. | $117.34est. | $114.11est. | $273.51est. |
| Avery County | $237.54est. | $136.10est. | $176.87est. | $144.03est. |
| Beaufort County | $185.21est. | $135.23est. | $166.57est. | $138.22est. |
| Bertie County | $164.20est. | $151.67est. | $143.78est. | $109.40est. |
| Bladen County | $109.46est. | $108.88est. | $149.85est. | $109.40est. |
| Brunswick County | $183.85est. | $145.61est. | $135.33est. | $151.60est. |
| Buncombe County | $190.77est. | $174.99est. | $177.36est. | $138.46est. |
| Burke County | $180.83est. | $111.71est. | $155.99est. | $119.52est. |
| Cabarrus County | $257.54est. | $171.72est. | $173.99est. | $135.82est. |
| Caldwell County | $164.20est. | $115.41est. | $149.62est. | $136.75est. |
| Camden County | $180.84est. | $84.21est. | $166.15est. | $130.39est. |
| Carteret County | $198.82est. | $128.86est. | $172.21est. | $130.60est. |
| Caswell County | $202.52est. | $116.10est. | no data | no data |
| Catawba County | $183.05est. | $109.04est. | $172.21est. | $133.21est. |
| Chatham County | $227.57est. | $165.47est. | $162.66est. | $140.37est. |
| Cherokee County | $208.93est. | $92.54est. | $134.57est. | $114.38est. |
| Chowan County | $131.36est. | $108.88est. | $126.41est. | $121.20est. |
| Clay County | $208.93est. | $92.54est. | $134.57est. | $114.38est. |
| Cleveland County | $158.73est. | $130.66est. | $128.37est. | $109.40est. |
| Columbus County | $139.21est. | $115.99est. | $112.43est. | $90.92est. |
| Craven County | $200.33est. | $146.99est. | $176.87est. | $160.28est. |
| Cumberland County | $183.37est. | $132.01est. | $161.99est. | $135.82est. |
| Currituck County | $172.06est. | $128.79est. | $167.99est. | $108.66est. |
| Dare County | $230.14est. | $177.09est. | $191.99est. | $162.99est. |
| Davidson County | $180.83est. | $128.79est. | $182.99est. | $146.69est. |
| Davie County | $208.23est. | $161.58est. | $177.95est. | $137.55est. |
| Duplin County | $131.36est. | $126.30est. | $114.11est. | $117.66est. |
| Durham County | $317.06est. | $188.37est. | $228.21est. | $191.46est. |
| Edgecombe County | $190.47est. | $124.12est. | $142.64est. | $136.75est. |
| Forsyth County | $202.52est. | $150.26est. | $188.28est. | $147.69est. |
| Franklin County | $200.22est. | $133.82est. | $159.58est. | $141.05est. |
| Gaston County | $147.83est. | $108.16est. | $144.99est. | $135.32est. |
| Gates County | $208.93est. | $92.54est. | $134.57est. | $114.38est. |
| Granville County | $200.22est. | $115.98est. | $149.25est. | $130.60est. |
| Greene County | $128.90est. | $114.99est. | $116.44est. | $109.99est. |
| Guilford County | $226.52est. | $131.84est. | $172.21est. | $146.68est. |
| Halifax County | $174.31est. | $110.57est. | $142.64est. | $118.24est. |
| Harnett County | $196.78est. | $113.99est. | $164.28est. | $135.82est. |
| Haywood County | $203.31est. | $109.04est. | $178.85est. | $102.96est. |
| Henderson County | $194.50est. | $128.86est. | $177.95est. | $141.05est. |
| Hertford County | $154.86est. | $131.92est. | $121.67est. | $106.29est. |
| Hoke County | $149.52est. | $124.99est. | $139.73est. | $109.99est. |
| Hyde County | $170.15est. | $109.99est. | $139.73est. | $124.99est. |
| Iredell County | $223.10est. | $148.69est. | $183.69est. | $146.27est. |
| Jackson County | $180.84est. | $84.21est. | $166.15est. | $130.39est. |
| Johnston County | $216.45est. | $149.18est. | $152.99est. | $135.82est. |
| Jones County | $131.36est. | $126.30est. | $114.11est. | $117.66est. |
| Lee County | $145.19est. | $106.36est. | $136.38est. | $110.94est. |
| Lenoir County | $169.67est. | $130.66est. | $148.26est. | $120.34est. |
| Lincoln County | $197.27est. | $139.52est. | $191.99est. | $149.41est. |
| Macon County | $178.10est. | $173.90est. | $114.11est. | $109.40est. |
| Madison County | $148.80est. | $108.88est. | $149.52est. | $136.75est. |
| Martin County | $181.64est. | $128.65est. | $142.64est. | $120.34est. |
| McDowell County | $163.90est. | $134.16est. | $149.99est. | $130.39est. |
| Mecklenburg County | $284.12est. | $170.99est. | $189.47est. | $179.68est. |
| Mitchell County | $149.22est. | $101.96est. | $94.33est. | $81.50est. |
| Montgomery County | $180.62est. | $108.88est. | $114.11est. | $108.31est. |
| Moore County | $188.78est. | $128.86est. | $183.69est. | $139.73est. |
| Nash County | $157.27est. | $134.16est. | $191.99est. | $130.39est. |
| New Hanover County | $223.10est. | $133.82est. | $183.69est. | $156.72est. |
| Northampton County | $194.78est. | $122.88est. | $175.73est. | $119.25est. |
| Onslow County | $202.51est. | $128.86est. | $160.73est. | $146.27est. |
| Orange County | $354.86est. | $198.57est. | $270.67est. | $223.48est. |
| Pamlico County | $182.91est. | $86.19est. | $134.57est. | $114.38est. |
| Pasquotank County | $159.34est. | $114.84est. | $157.01est. | $123.63est. |
| Pender County | $199.45est. | $137.89est. | $157.29est. | $118.44est. |
| Perquimans County | $197.04est. | $119.77est. | $124.03est. | $105.29est. |
| Person County | $170.15est. | $109.99est. | $139.73est. | $124.99est. |
| Pitt County | $208.23est. | $155.62est. | $188.99est. | $146.69est. |
| Polk County | $180.63est. | $85.43est. | $158.01est. | $131.28est. |
| Randolph County | $191.06est. | $118.95est. | $149.25est. | $112.52est. |
| Richmond County | $136.83est. | $108.88est. | $182.58est. | $113.62est. |
| Robeson County | $147.78est. | $111.06est. | $171.17est. | $103.93est. |
| Rockingham County | $136.83est. | $92.54est. | $131.22est. | $120.93est. |
| Rowan County | $199.07est. | $118.95est. | $154.99est. | $130.60est. |
| Rutherford County | $161.10est. | $112.69est. | $141.59est. | $113.14est. |
| Sampson County | $136.83est. | $108.88est. | $142.74est. | $118.08est. |
| Scotland County | $142.30est. | $113.83est. | $155.19est. | $133.47est. |
| Stanly County | $186.09est. | $146.99est. | $162.22est. | $142.22est. |
| Stokes County | $169.67est. | $125.21est. | $142.64est. | $109.40est. |
| Surry County | $176.24est. | $116.50est. | $114.11est. | $109.40est. |
| Swain County | $153.50est. | $108est. | $117.17est. | $125.77est. |
| Transylvania County | $188.28est. | $125.21est. | $171.17est. | $120.34est. |
| Tyrrell County | $109.46est. | $108.88est. | $149.85est. | $109.40est. |
| Union County | $248.19est. | $116.47est. | $200.91est. | $177.62est. |
| Vance County | $160.60est. | $128.79est. | $166.02est. | $124.96est. |
| Wake County | $307.29est. | $188.64est. | $216.53est. | $202.14est. |
| Warren County | $136.83est. | $125.21est. | $137.73est. | $99.48est. |
| Washington County | $154.11est. | $108.80est. | $136.93est. | $131.28est. |
| Watauga County | $180.39est. | $161.54est. | $158.36est. | $154.99est. |
| Wayne County | $153.43est. | $123.42est. | $155.99est. | $124.96est. |
| Wilkes County | $183.16est. | $108.88est. | $125.52est. | $109.40est. |
| Wilson County | $175.15est. | $136.10est. | $111.66est. | $142.22est. |
| Yadkin County | $136.99est. | $91.22est. | $119.99est. | $108.66est. |
| Yancey County | $194.78est. | $122.88est. | $175.73est. | $119.25est. |
Infant = 0–23 months; preschool = 36–54 months. "est." = the source estimated the value (for example, carried it forward from an earlier survey year); each county page explains how. Toddler and school-age prices are on each county page.
Related
Source
- U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, National Database of Childcare Prices (NDCP) 2008-2022, county-level data file (NDCP2022.xlsx) Data period: study year 2022 (prices from state childcare market rate surveys; latest year in the file). Retrieved October 11, 2026. License: U.S. Government work (DOL); public domain. Cite: U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, National Database of Childcare Prices.
Last updated . See our methodology.