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Child Care Affordability

In Alabama, raising a family with children is expensive. Whether or not a family can afford child care depends on income remaining after paying basic household expenses.

The family calculator allows users to select their county and based on median income for that county, see whether or not a family can access the licensed child care market after paying basic monthly expenses.

The calculator is a policy tool to better understand the challenges families have in accessing child care subsidy. For families who are interested in seeing whether they qualify for child care subsidy, please see the child care subsidy application (English and Spanish) and contact the Child Care Management Agency in your region.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2021 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates; U.S. Energy Information Administration; U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Thrifty Food Plan; Move.Org; Silver Health Plans on the Alabama Exchange; U.S. Department of Energy; U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration; the 2021 Alabama Child Care Market Rate Survey Report, and the Alabama FY2022-2024 CCDF State Plan. For additional information related to sources (links, tables, and articles), download the Sources list.

Resources

Methodology

Alabama Child Care Affordability Calculator Methodology

Sources

Links to Data Sources

Customize Expenses

Auto-populated expenses reflect the monthly averages for all Alabama households.

Type in actual monthly expenses if higher or lower than the average. Do not use the $ sign. Just insert the number.

Vehicle Expenses

In Alabama, 97.8% of households have at least one car. Most have 2 cars.

Vehicle related expenses reflect the monthly averages for one vehicle and one driver in Alabama. Double these expenses if the family has 2 cars. If the family has 1 car, but 2 drivers, double the car insurance payment field.

Type in actual monthly expenses if higher or lower than the average. Do not use the $ sign. Just insert the number.

Child Care Prices

The price of child care varies based on the age and number of children in care as well as the type of setting. Select options to reflect the price of licensed care based on your preferences.

The child care prices reflect prices at the 75th percentile of the 2021 Alabama Child Care Market Rate Study.  The 75th percentile means that parents have choices among 75 percent of providers, the benchmark for equal access (parent choice).

Customize Need for Child Care

In this field, enter 1 if you have 1 child who needs care. Enter 2 if you have 2 children who need care. If you have triplets, enter 3.

Customize Need for Child Care

In this field, enter 1 if you have 1 child who needs care. Enter 2 if you have 2 children who need care. If you have 3 children in this age bracket who need care, enter 3.

Customize Need for Child Care

In this field, enter 1 if you have 1 child who needs care. Enter 2 if you have 2 children who need care. If you have 3 children in this age bracket who need care, enter 3.

Customize Need for Child Care

In this field, enter 1 if you have 1 child who needs care. Enter 2 if you have 2 children who need care. If you have 3 children in this age bracket who need care, enter 3.

Customize Need for Child Care

In this field, enter 1 if you have 1 child who needs care. Enter 2 if you have 2 children who need care. If you have 3 children in this age bracket who need care, enter 3.

Price For All Children

In this field, your selections are added together for a total monthly price.

Child Care Subsidy

In Alabama, in 36 of 67 counties, a family with median income for that county earns too much to qualify for child care subsidy support (i.e., the median income in more than half (53.7%) of Alabama’s counties is too high to receive child care subsidy).