Georgia ranked 48th in nation for child care costs by WalletHub

ATLANTA - A new WalletHub study reports that Georgia residents spend the fourth-lowest percentage of income on child care in the nation. 

Georgia ranks 48th in the nation for child care costs, with Alabama, South Dakota, and Mississippi ranking lower. 

What we know:

To determine which states face the highest and lowest costs, WalletHub compared the prices of both family-based and center-based care and adjusted them relative to median household income. 

The insights show that two-thirds of families with children have both parents employed, and parents in Georgia benefit from some of the most affordable child care rates in the country, ranking as the fourth-lowest percentage of income spent overall. 

By the numbers:

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 66.3% of families with children have both parents employed, making child care an absolute necessity for millions of Americans. However, securing this care places a significant financial burden on households across the United States. 

Research from WalletHub reveals that a married couple can spend nearly 14% of their income on child care, while single parents may have to devote around 59% of their earnings to these services. 

In Georgia, where child care costs are ranked on a scale where 1 is the most expensive and 25 is average, the financial impact varies significantly by family structure, though residents still benefit from a fairly low percentage of income spent on child care in the nation.

For married-couple families in the state, the cost of early child care consumes 6.52% of their median annual income, while day care accounts for 8.39%. The financial strain is higher for single-parent families in Georgia, who must dedicate 20.70% of their median annual income to early child care and 26.62% of their income to day care.

To put Georgia’s affordability into perspective, Oregon ranks as the fourth-most expensive state in the nation for child care costs. Married couples in Oregon must spend 11.03% of their median annual income on family-based child care and 12.75% on center-based care. The disparity is even more stark for single-parent households in Oregon, who face an overwhelming financial burden of 34.36% of their median annual income for family-based care and 39.71% for center-based care. 

By the numbers:

Georgia child care by the numbers:

• 66.3% of Georgia families with children have both parents working, making child care a necessity for many households.
• 6.52% of a married couple's median annual income goes toward early child care in Georgia.
• 8.39% of a married couple's median annual income is spent on day care in Georgia.
• 20.70% of a single parent's median annual income goes toward early child care.
• 26.62% of a single parent's median annual income is spent on day care.
• Georgia ranks among the more affordable states for child care costs compared to much of the country, according to the WalletHub study.

What we don't know:

We do not know the specified cost of family-based or center-based care in Georgia.