Childcare Costs, Access and Affordability in the United States with a Focus on East Texas

Authors

• Manuel Reyes-Loya, University of Texas at TylerFollow
• Cecilia Cuellar, University of Texas at Tyler
• Sara Maldonado, University of Texas at Tyler

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-2026

Comments

Rising childcare costs are straining family budgets at a time when wages are not keeping pace, leaving many households with less money available to cover basic needs like housing and transportation. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the annual cost of caring for one infant now exceeds average rent in 17 states, making childcare one of the largest household expenses outside of housing. Additionally, the cost of infant care is higher than in-state public college tuition in 38 states, showing that families often pay more to look after a baby than to send a young adult to a local university.

Persistent Identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10950/5027

Recommended Citation

Reyes-Loya, Manuel; Cuellar, Cecilia; and Maldonado, Sara, "Childcare Costs, Access and Affordability in the United States with a Focus on East Texas" (2026). Hibbs Outlook of East Texas. Paper 2.