Child care · New Hampshire
Child care costs in New Hampshire
A full-time infant spot at a New Hampshire child care center averaged $16,040 in 2024, or about $1,337 a month. Home-based family child care averaged $11,708. At 16.1% of median household income, New Hampshire ranks 38th of 50 states for cost burden (1 = least affordable).
New Hampshire child care prices by age
| Age | Center, per year | Center, per month | Home-based, per year | Home-based, per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $16,040 | $1,337 | $11,708 | $976 |
| Toddler | $14,870 | $1,239 | $11,432 | $953 |
| 4-year-old | $13,042 | $1,087 | $11,418 | $952 |
— means New Hampshire did not report that price. Monthly figures are the yearly average divided by 12. Source: Child Care Aware of America, Child Care in America: 2024 Affordability Analysis, Tables I and II.
How New Hampshire compares
| Center infant price rank | 21st highest of 50 (50 states and DC with a price); middle state $15,080 |
|---|---|
| Median household income, 2024 | $99,782 (margin of error ±$2,489); U.S. $81,604 |
| Center infant care as share of that income | 16.1% (about 8.4 weeks of pay) |
| Home-based infant care as share of income | 11.7% |
| Affordability rank | 38 of 50 ranked (1 = least affordable) |
Ranks and income shares come from the Baby Money Report 2027; income is the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 1-year median household income (B19013) for all households, not only families with babies. Every state side by side: child care costs by state.
Ways to cut the bill in New Hampshire
If your employer offers a dependent care FSA, you can pay up to $7,500 of care with pre-tax pay in 2026 (IRS Publication 15-B). The federal Child and Dependent Care Credit covers 20% to 50% of up to $3,000 in care for one child. Which one saves more depends on your income: try the FSA vs. credit calculator, and see every credit on the 2026 baby tax benefits page.
New Hampshire has only a voluntary paid leave plan, so most new parents there are paid for leave only if their employer joined it or pays on its own: paid family leave by state. To add care, leave and credits into one year-one number, use the baby budget calculator set to New Hampshire.
Sources: Child Care Aware of America, U.S. Census Bureau. Data free to reuse: JSON.
Last verified October 6, 2026 against official sources: Child Care Aware of America, U.S. Census Bureau.
Cite this page: This Mom, “Child Care Costs in New Hampshire”, thismom.com/child-care-costs/new-hampshire/ (updated ). Data free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link to the page.