Is child care in Minnesota unaffordable for many Minnesotans?
Child care centers in Minnesota are unaffordable for many state residents.
The benchmark for child care affordability set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is 7% of annual household income.
A 2023 Child Care Aware report estimated that a “married-couple family” in Minnesota with a median income of $138,780 spends 11.2%-14.5% of their income on child care.
A 2023 report from the Minnesota House put the average percentage at 21.2% for infant care, and a 2024 study by Bankrate ranked the state as one of the most expensive for child care.
Minnesota requires a 4:1 child-to-adult ratio for child care centers, increasing costs. Minnesota also lacks an employer child care tax credit. There is a statewide Child Care Assistance Program and a tax credit per child, though both have income restrictions.
