Child care · Virginia
Child care costs in Virginia
A full-time infant spot at a Virginia child care center averaged $16,796 in 2024, or about $1,400 a month. Home-based family child care averaged $13,052. At 18.2% of median household income, Virginia ranks 29th of 50 states for cost burden (1 = least affordable).
Virginia child care prices by age
| Age | Center, per year | Center, per month | Home-based, per year | Home-based, per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $16,796 | $1,400 | $13,052 | $1,088 |
| Toddler | $15,964 | $1,330 | $12,480 | $1,040 |
| 4-year-old | $13,884 | $1,157 | $12,116 | $1,010 |
— means Virginia 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 Virginia compares
| Center infant price rank | 18th highest of 50 (50 states and DC with a price); middle state $15,080 |
|---|---|
| Median household income, 2024 | $92,090 (margin of error ±$831); U.S. $81,604 |
| Center infant care as share of that income | 18.2% (about 9.5 weeks of pay) |
| Home-based infant care as share of income | 14.2% |
| Affordability rank | 29 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 Virginia
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.
Virginia has passed a paid family and medical leave program, but it does not pay benefits until December 2028, so leave after a 2026 or 2027 birth is unpaid unless your employer pays: Virginia paid family leave. To add care, leave and credits into one year-one number, use the baby budget calculator set to Virginia.
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 Virginia”, thismom.com/child-care-costs/virginia/ (updated ). Data free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link to the page.