Wyoming childcare costs increased by 47%

Childcare has been a costly necessity for years. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) consider childcare affordable if it doesn’t cost more than 7% of their income. On average — and across nearly every category of marital status, race, age and education level and income — working families pay approximately 40% more than HHS standard, according to the Center for American Progress.

Since the pandemic, Wyoming childcare costs per child has increased by 47% and averages $14,674 every year, compared to $9,996 pre-COVID, according to data provided by LendingTree, an online loan marketplace.