What It Really Cost Families In Missouri For Child Care

Finding affordable child care in Missouri can be a real challenge. It's one of the toughest decisions a family or single parent has to make. Who do you trust to care for your child while you're at work, and how much can you realistically afford?

A new study from WalletHub breaks down the percentage of household income families spend on child care in each state, and Missouri falls right in the middle of the pack.

How Much Does Child Care Cost in Missouri?

When I found out I was expecting my daughters, one of the very first calls I made was to local daycare facilities. I knew that available spots were few and far between, and getting on a waitlist early was essential. Within my first month of pregnancy, I was already on several daycare waitlists. Thankfully, we were able to find a spot before they were born, but the cost certainly wasn't cheap. That's a financial burden many Missouri families continue to face today.

Where Missouri Ranks for Child Care Affordability

To determine the cost of child care, WalletHub compared the average costs of both family-based and center-based child care across all 50 states.

Missouri ranked 36th overall for child care affordability. On average, families in Missouri spend 7.59% of their household income on family-based child care and 9.74% on center-based child care.

Why Parents Say Every Dollar Counts

There's an old saying that no matter how much money you save, you'll never feel like you have enough once you have kids, and there's a lot of truth to it. From diapers and daycare to sports and school activities, the expenses seem to keep growing.

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But despite the costs (and the occasional headaches), being a parent is one of the most rewarding experiences you'll ever have. It's not always easy, but watching your children grow, learn, and succeed makes every sacrifice worthwhile.