Child care prices in Missouri.
Weekly child care prices in Missouri, county by county, from the U.S. Department of Labor.
Source: National Database of Childcare Prices, U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau. Data year 2016 to 2020. Read November 4, 2026.
$215
Center, infant
State median per week, 2020
$169
Center, preschool
State median per week, 2020
$156
Home daycare, infant
State median per week, 2020
$116
Home daycare, preschool
State median per week, 2020
Infant care at centers is lowest in Mercer County, at $28 a week in 2018. It is highest in St. Louis County, at $274 in 2020.
Infant care at home daycares is lowest in St. Clair County, at $78 a week in 2018. It is highest in Jackson County, at $156 in 2020.
These prices are ranges to compare your own rates with. They are not advice on what to charge.
Centers: weekly prices by county, 2016 to 2020
Each row is the county's newest year with a price. Years differ, so each shows under its county.
| County and year | Median per week, 2016 to 2020 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | Toddler | Preschool | School age | |
| Atchison2018 | $61 | $47 | $47 | $73 |
| Boone2016 | $104 | $110 | $110 | $64 |
| Buchanan2016 | $106 | $87 | $87 | $47 |
| Carter2018 | $55 | $43 | $43 | $38 |
| Cass2016 | $91 | $75 | $75 | $50 |
| Clark2018 | None | None | None | None |
| Clay2020 | $232 | $177 | $177 | $156 |
| Cole2016 | $84 | $69 | $69 | $69 |
| Dade2018 | $133 | $103 | $103 | $91 |
| DeKalb2018 | $50 | $38 | $38 | $33 |
| Gasconade2018 | $123 | $93 | $93 | $82 |
| Gentry2018 | $71 | $54 | $54 | $47 |
| Greene2020 | $143 | $135 | $135 | $118 |
| Jackson2020 | $211 | $156 | $156 | $122 |
| Jasper2016 | $92 | $72 | $72 | $47 |
| Jefferson2020 | $196 | $150 | $150 | $142 |
| Mercer2018 | $28 | $22 | $22 | $19 |
| St. Charles2020 | $215 | $169 | $169 | $152 |
| St. Clair2018 | None | None | None | None |
| St. Francois2016 | $69 | $56 | $79 | $52 |
| St. Louis City2020 | $219 | $173 | $173 | $118 |
| St. Louis2020 | $274 | $215 | $215 | $181 |
| Webster2018 | None | None | None | None |
| Worth2018 | $94 | $73 | $73 | $65 |
Home daycares: weekly prices by county, 2016 to 2020
| County and year | Median per week, 2016 to 2020 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | Toddler | Preschool | School age | |
| Atchison2018 | None | None | None | None |
| Boone2016 | $82 | $71 | $71 | $54 |
| Buchanan2016 | None | None | None | None |
| Carter2018 | None | None | None | None |
| Cass2016 | None | None | None | None |
| Clark2018 | $99 | $99 | $99 | $56 |
| Clay2020 | None | None | None | None |
| Cole2016 | None | None | None | None |
| Dade2018 | None | None | None | None |
| DeKalb2018 | None | None | None | None |
| Gasconade2018 | None | None | None | None |
| Gentry2018 | None | None | None | None |
| Greene2020 | None | None | None | None |
| Jackson2020 | $156 | $116 | $116 | $121 |
| Jasper2016 | None | None | None | None |
| Jefferson2020 | None | None | None | None |
| Mercer2018 | None | None | None | None |
| St. Charles2020 | None | None | None | None |
| St. Clair2018 | $78 | $65 | $65 | $63 |
| St. Francois2016 | None | None | None | None |
| St. Louis City2020 | $151 | $134 | $134 | $164 |
| St. Louis2020 | None | None | None | None |
| Webster2018 | $95 | $86 | $86 | $84 |
| Worth2018 | None | None | None | None |
The database lists 91 more Missouri counties with no price in any year: Adair County, Andrew County, Audrain County, Barry County, Barton County, Bates County, Benton County, Bollinger County, Butler County, Caldwell County, Callaway County, Camden County, Cape Girardeau County, Carroll County, Cedar County, Chariton County, Christian County, Clinton County, Cooper County, Crawford County, Dallas County, Daviess County, Dent County, Douglas County, Dunklin County, Franklin County, Grundy County, Harrison County, Henry County, Hickory County, Holt County, Howard County, Howell County, Iron County, Johnson County, Knox County, Laclede County, Lafayette County, Lawrence County, Lewis County, Lincoln County, Linn County, Livingston County, Macon County, Madison County, Maries County, Marion County, McDonald County, Miller County, Mississippi County, Moniteau County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Morgan County, New Madrid County, Newton County, Nodaway County, Oregon County, Osage County, Ozark County, Pemiscot County, Perry County, Pettis County, Phelps County, Pike County, Platte County, Polk County, Pulaski County, Putnam County, Ralls County, Randolph County, Ray County, Reynolds County, Ripley County, Saline County, Schuyler County, Scotland County, Scott County, Shannon County, Shelby County, Ste. Genevieve County, Stoddard County, Stone County, Sullivan County, Taney County, Texas County, Vernon County, Warren County, Washington County, Wayne County, Wright County.
What the age groups mean
The database groups children the same way in every state.
- Infantbirth to 23 months
- Toddler24 to 35 months
- Preschool36 to 54 months
- School ageschool-age children
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- Daycare startup costs in Missouri
Revenue, staff cost and rent from your own numbers.
- Missouri licensing guide
Ratios, trainings and the checklist the state asks for.
- Child care prices in every state
State medians, newest year.
Questions, answered
How much does child care cost in Missouri?
The Missouri median at a center was $215 a week for an infant in 2020. For a preschooler it was $169.
How much does a home daycare cost in Missouri?
The Missouri median at a home daycare was $156 a week for an infant in 2020. For a preschooler it was $116.
Which Missouri county has the highest center price for infants?
St. Louis County, at $274 a week in 2020. The lowest is Mercer County, at $28 in 2018.
Are these prices adjusted for inflation?
Prices are in the dollars of their own year. We did not adjust them for inflation.
Where do these Missouri prices come from?
From the National Database of Childcare Prices. The U.S. Department of Labor's Women's Bureau publishes it.
About these numbers
Each price is a median weekly price for full-time care, as the Women's Bureau published it.
A county's row is its newest year with a price. Each row says its year.
Prices are in the dollars of their own year. We did not adjust them for inflation.
The Women's Bureau fills some gaps with its own estimates. We show each price rounded to the dollar.
None means the database has no price for that age group.
These prices are ranges to compare your own rates with. They are not advice on what to charge.
This page is a summary of public data. It is not financial or legal advice.
How the prices were gathered is in the National Database of Childcare Prices Technical Report 2024.
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