Daycare cost · Delaware
How much does daycare cost in Delaware?
Full-time infant care at a Delaware daycare center cost a median of $182 a week in the latest federal county survey. In New Castle County, the state's largest, the same care cost $280 a week.
- a week, center infant care, county survey
- $182
- a week, center preschool, county survey
- $145
- Counties priced
- 3
By age
Daycare prices by age in Delaware
Weekly prices for full-time care. The county survey figures are the middle county in Delaware; the posted figures are the middle rate on Delaware daycare websites.
| Age | Center, county survey | Home daycare, county survey | Posted by daycares |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant | $182 | $156 | Too few to show |
| Toddler | $139 | $131 | Too few to show |
| Preschool | $145 | $131 | Too few to show |
| School ageOften before and after school only | $111 | $66 | Too few to show |
County survey: U.S. Department of Labor, 2022; Delaware figure = the median of 3 county medians. Fewer than 30 Delaware daycares post a usable full-time rate for any one age group, so this page does not give a posted figure for Delaware.
Reading the numbers
Where these figures come from
The 2022 prices come from the U.S. Department of Labor's county survey, built from Delaware's own surveys of what providers charge. Delaware has only 3 counties and each counts the same, so the state figure is the price in Kent County and Sussex County, while New Castle County sits well above it.
We read 192 Delaware daycare websites, but too few post a full-time weekly rate for any one age to give a 2026 figure. Ask each daycare for its current rate.
By county
Where daycare costs more in Delaware
Lowest county price
$182a week for center infant care in Kent County and 1 other countyHighest county price
$280a week for center infant care in New Castle CountyIn Delaware the county makes a big difference. In 2022, center infant care cost $280 a week in New Castle County, which includes Wilmington and Newark, against $182 a week in both Kent County, around Dover, and Sussex County.
Home daycares cost less, most of all in New Castle County, where infant care in a home daycare was $182 a week against $280 at a center. In the middle county, a home daycare charged $156 a week for a baby.
- A year of center infant care at the middle county price
- $9,464
- of the middle county household income ($75,406)
- 13%
- counties where it passed 20% of household income
- 0 of 3
Every county
Daycare prices in every Delaware county
Weekly county survey prices for full-time care, A to Z. Select a column heading to sort by it. The towns are where most of each county's daycares on DaycarePal are.
| Towns | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent | $182 | $145 | $156 | DoverSmyrnaFelton |
| New Castle | $280 | $210 | $182 | WilmingtonNewarkNew Castle |
| Sussex | $182 | $145 | $155 | SeafordMilfordGeorgetown |
Paying for care
Ways to lower the cost
Delaware's child care assistance program, Purchase of Care, is run by the Division of Social Services and pays part of the cost for families with lower incomes. On DaycarePal, 913 Delaware daycares are listed as accepting child care assistance: see which ones.
Head Start and Early Head Start are free for families who qualify, mostly by income, and serve children from birth to age 5.
Home daycares and part-time schedules can also cost less. Ask about registration fees, sibling discounts and what you pay for holidays and your vacation weeks.
Questions
Questions about daycare cost in Delaware
How much is daycare per month in Delaware?
About $789 a month for full-time infant care at a center, at the 2022 middle-county price of $182 a week. A home daycare came to about $676 a month for a baby, and center preschool to about $628.
How much does infant care cost a year in Delaware?
About $9,464 a year at the 2022 middle-county price for center infant care, or 13% of the middle county's household income ($75,406). In New Castle County, at $280 a week, it costs much more.
Does home daycare cost less than a center in Delaware?
Usually. In the 2022 survey, the middle Delaware county charged $156 a week for infant care in a home daycare and $182 at a center; for preschoolers it was $131 against $145.
Which Delaware county has the highest daycare prices?
New Castle County, at $280 a week for center infant care in 2022. Kent County and Sussex County were both at $182.
Does Delaware help families pay for daycare?
Yes. Purchase of Care, run by the Division of Social Services, pays part of the cost for families who qualify, and 913 Delaware daycares on DaycarePal are listed as accepting child care assistance.
We are a directory, not the daycare. Each daycare sets its own prices; ask for the current rate for your child's age and schedule.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices (2022 county prices and household incomes); rates posted on Delaware daycare websites, read in 2026. See daycares in Delaware for each daycare's own listing.