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儿童保育的许多费用

文化传媒 2025-10-01 美国银行心大的小鑫

US childcare costs are rising significantly, outpacing overall inflation at a rate of 1.5 times faster, with a 5.2% year-over-year increase in September. This trend has led to a decline in the number of households making monthly childcare payments, as the average monthly payment increased by 3.6% YoY, according to Bank of America payments data.

Regional disparities in childcare costs are widening, with New England up 6.6% and the West North Central division surging 8.2% YoY. In the South, Nashville saw a more than 6% increase from 2024 averages. These rising costs are forcing some parents, particularly women, to quit work or reduce hours to become caregivers. Bank of America data shows a drop in households receiving multiple paychecks while making childcare payments, especially among lower-income households, indicating an increasing trend of earners dropping out of the workforce.

Childcare costs remain persistently above historical averages, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting a 5.2% increase in September, more than 1.5 times higher than the inflation rate. The US Department of Health and Human Services considers childcare affordable if it does not exceed 7% of a household’s income, but many families are paying far more, impacting their overall spending. The Department of Labor estimates that full-day care for one child costs between 8.9% and 16.0% of median income, while part-day care for school-aged children comprises 8.1% to 9.4%. A Care.com survey found that parents paying for childcare deplete almost a third of their savings.

Bank of America data reveals that the share of households with multiple income sources making childcare payments has fallen each year, with the sharpest decline among lower-income households. This suggests that high childcare costs are forcing some to leave jobs.

Women are disproportionately affected by these costs, with their labor force participation rate dropping over the past few months, while men’s has slightly increased. Bank of America’s 2025 Workplace Benefits Report shows that nearly 60% of employees are caregivers, with women and younger employees more likely to face caregiving demands. BLS data indicates that women spend an average of an extra hour per day on childcare compared to men, which has significant implications for households where mothers are primary or sole earners. The increasing burden of childcare costs is reshaping workforce participation, particularly for women, as they opt to leave the labor force to manage caregiving responsibilities.

The many costs of childcare Key takeaways •US childcare costs are rising 1.5 times faster than overall inflation, up 5.2% year-over-year (YoY) in September. This could bewhy the number of households making monthly childcare payments has declined, with the year-over-year percent increase in thenumber of households paying for child care down 1.6% YoY September, despite the average monthly payment up 3.6% YoY,according to Bank of America payments data. •Regional disparities in childcare costs are widening. While the national average monthly childcare payment rose, some areas sawsharper increases - New England was up 6.6% and the West North Central division surged 8.2% YoY as of September. In theSouth, Nashville led major cities with a more than 6% increase from 2024 averages. •These spiraling costs mean some parents, especially women, are quitting work or cutting their hours to become caregivers.Indeed Bank of America data shows a drop in households receiving multiple paychecks while making childcare payments,especially among lower-income households, which suggests to us an increasing trend of some earners dropping out of the laborforce to take on childcare responsibilities. Childcare costs: A sticky issueUS childcare costs remain persistently above their historical average, up 5.2% in September, more than 1.5x higher than the overall inflation rate, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (Exhibit 1). This could be why the number of householdsmaking monthly childcare payments has declined, with the year-over-year (YoY) percent increase in the number of householdspaying for child care down 1.6% YoY September, despite the average monthly payment up 3.6% YoY, according to Bank ofAmerica payments data (Exhibit 2). The US Department of Health and Human Services considers childcare‘affordable’if the cost does not exceed 7% of ahousehold’s income. But some families appear to be paying far more than that, and this weighs down spending elsewhere. Inflation by category (YoY%, monthly) YoY% by category (annual, year-to-date (YTD)) Childcare costs weigh on overall spending growthThe average monthly childcare payments per household have increased steadily over the past four years. In fact, the Department of Labor estimates that the cost of daycare for one child is higher than one month’s rent for many families.1Moreover, pricescould rise further as the government shutdown drags on, as some early childhood Head Start programs for lower-incomefamilies could be at risk of disruptions. Exhibit 3shows that average Bank of America credit and debit card spending per household for lower-income families withchildcare payments has considerably lagged that of higher- and middle-income households. This could have a meaningful impacton these households given their spending and wage growth has moderated significantly over the past few months (read more onthis in theOctober Consumer Checkpoint), meaning the cost of child care is rising as a percentage of their wallet. Exhibit3:Spending per household for lower-income families with childcare payments has considerably lagged that of higher-and middle-incomehouseholdsAggregated average credit and debit card spending per households making childcare paymentsby income (monthly, 3-month moving average, YoY%) The cost of child care varies across the countryOur data also shows a clear regional divide. In the US overall, average childcare payments YoY% growth was up from 2024 in September, but below that of 2023. Yet, across different US Census Divisions (see Methodology), that story varies (Exhibit 4). For example, New England has exhibited stronger YoY% growth consecutively since 2023, up 6.6% YoY as of September. This issecond only to the West North Central division, which was up 8.2% YoY–more than twice the rate of the overall US. And thepressure on childcare supply will likely be greatest where population growth is highest–the South and Midwest (read publicationSeptember On the Move). Interestingly, the Middle Atlantic division saw a decrease in average childcare payments, possibly assubsidies in this region help ease some of the cost burden.2 Exhibit4:Different divisions in the South have seen relatively similaryear-over-year (YoY)% growth rates in childcare payments in 2025 as ofSeptember, while the Northeast is more variedAverage childcare payment by US Census Division (annual, YoY%) Nashville leads cities in the South with strongest increase from 2024 average costsOn average, the South as an overall US Census Region had the strongest YTD growth in average monthly childcare payments. Diving deeper into Bank of America internal data, we identified nine cities in the region whose average childcare paymentgrowth had risen above the 2024 average (Exhibit 5). Notably, Nashville had the strongest increase in childcare payments growth, up more than 6% from last year in September on a3-month moving average. Columbia, SC was up more than 5% from the 2024 average, followed b

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