How much does daycare cost in Montana?

The prices here come from the U.S. Department of Labor's 2022 county survey, built from Montana's own surveys of what providers charge. The median is the middle of Montana's 56 counties, and each county counts the same, from Yellowstone County to the smallest rural county.

We read 211 Montana daycare websites for prices, and only 26 post a full-time rate, too few for a 2026 figure at any age. Prices may have risen since 2022, so ask each daycare for its current rate.

Montana prices sit in a fairly narrow band. In 2022, center infant care ran from $197 a week in Daniels County to $254 a week in Treasure County. The most populous counties were close to the middle: $227 a week in Yellowstone County, which includes Billings, $237 in Gallatin County, which includes Bozeman, and $219 in Missoula County.

One thing stands out: at Montana centers, toddler care cost a little more than infant care in 2022, $227 a week against $218. Home daycares cost less, $174 a week for infant care in the middle county.

Montana's child care scholarship program, run by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, helps working families with lower incomes pay for care. On DaycarePal, 38 Montana daycares are listed as accepting child care assistance: see the Montana daycares that accept it.

Head Start and Early Head Start are free for families who qualify, mostly by income, and serve children from birth to age 5. You can find a Head Start program by address.

Home daycares are common in Montana and often cost less than centers. Ask about part-time schedules, sibling discounts and whether you pay for weeks your child is away.