Washington among least affordable states for child care, report shows

Washington consistently ranks as having one of the nation’s highest costs of living – and a new report shows that the cost of child care is a big contributor to the problem for families.

The state took home the dubious distinction of having the fifth-highest child-care costs last year compared with other states, according to recently published findings by Child Care Aware of America.

The average price tag for an infant’s day-care tuition? Roughly $21,350.

Child-care costs in Washington soar well above last year’s national average, which the group pegged at $13,128.

California, Massachusetts, Hawaii and Maryland were the only states that counted higher costs, as did the District of Columbia.

Sky-high child care expenses often prompt families to make tough choices, as reported by Axios. Some parents, most frequently women, opt to work fewer hours or leave the workforce altogether.

Washington also had the second-least affordable child care for single-parent households, taking up more than half the median income for a single parent, which is $42,108 in the state, according to the advocacy organization’s report.

It could seem counter-intuitive to some, but the report found that in-state college tuition and fees in Washington are cheaper than child care. The average tuition at a four-year public university here costs approximately $11,850, according to the findings.

The expense creeps higher to put two kids in a day care center: more than $38,250 on average, according to Child Care Aware. That translates to more than a quarter of the median income of a married-couple family in Washington, logged at $145,513.

Funding to bolster the child care system fared poorly in the state’s recently signed budget. Lawmakers delayed expansions planned under the Fair Start for Kids Act for state-backed early learning programs and subsidized child care.

The Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program also won’t become an entitlement next year, as was initially planned.