Are you paying too much for child care? See how Mississippi costs compare to other states

Mississippi’s childcare costs are some of the least expensive in the country.

According to a new report by HelpAdvisor, the average weekly amount spent on childcare in the Magnolia state is $203.38. The only state with a smaller average is Iowa at $182.42. Both are well below the national average of $325.39 per week.

“U.S. families spend an average of 27% of their household income on childcare,” said Christian Worstell, the study’s author.

The report analyzed the responses from more than 380,000 Mississippi families and used survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Finding good child care can be a challenge for Mississippians. According to the Center for American Progress, 48% of Mississippi residents live in a child care desert.

The organization defined a child care desert as “any census tract with more than 50 children under age 5 that contains either no child care providers or so few options that there are more than three times as many children as licensed child care slots.”

Families in rural areas were twice as likely to be in a child care desert. More than 477,000 suburban residents and 952,000 rural Mississippi residents were in a child care desert.

Researchers identified some disparities in childcare expenses related to household income, military status, sexual orientation and education.

The less the household made, the more they spent on childcare.

“Households with incomes of less than $25,000 per year reported a higher average weekly cost of childcare ($295.92) than households with incomes between $100,000 and $149,999 ($275.57),” reported Worstell.

Active duty military spent more than twice the average on childcare. Their average weekly childcare expenses were $675.32.

Parents identifying as gay or lesbian were also more likely to spend well over other households, reporting an average cost of $507.26 per week. Parents who identified as straight spent an average of $322.10.

Parents with less than a high school diploma reported spending about $245.15 per week on child care. Those with a bachelor’s degree or higher averaged $377.77 per week.

5 least expensive states for child care

1. Iowa, with an average weekly child care cost of $182.42
2. Mississippi at 203.38 per week
3. Oklahoma at $209.41 per week
4. Arkansas at $219.28 per week
5. Alabama at $230.16 per week

5 most expensive places for child care

1. Nevada at $493.46 per week
2. New Jersey at $442.19
3. Washington, D.C. at $427.90
4. Hawaii at $413.13
5. Washington at $408.67

This story was originally published November 7, 2023 at 1:49 PM.

Mona Moore

Sun Herald

Mona Moore was a Service Journalism Desk Editor for the Sun Herald in Mississippi; Mahoning Matters in Ohio; and the Ledger-Enquirer and Telegraph in Georgia. Originally from West Covina, California, she holds a bachelor’s and master’s in corporate and public communication from the University of South Alabama. Mona’s writing and photography have been recognized by press associations in Mississippi, North Carolina and Florida.