How much does daycare cost in West Virginia?

The prices on this page come from the U.S. Department of Labor's 2022 county survey, which draws on West Virginia's own surveys of what providers charge. The median is the middle county of all 55, and each county counts the same, large or small.

We read 56 West Virginia daycare websites for prices, and only 7 post a full-time rate, too few for a 2026 figure. Prices may have risen since 2022, so ask each daycare what it charges now.

Prices in West Virginia stay in a fairly narrow band. In 2022, center infant care ran from $144 a week in Clay County to $195 a week in Hardy County. The most populous counties sat near the middle: $158 a week in Kanawha County, which includes Charleston, $177 in Berkeley County and $153 in Monongalia County, which includes Morgantown.

Home daycares charged a little less for babies in the middle county, $156 a week against $173 at a center. In the three largest counties, though, home daycares charged more than centers for toddlers and preschoolers: in Kanawha County, $172 a week for a preschooler at a home daycare against $157 at a center.

West Virginia's Child Care Program, run by the Bureau for Family Assistance in the West Virginia Department of Human Services, helps working families with lower incomes pay for child care. Ask a daycare whether it accepts it before you enroll.

West Virginia Universal Pre-K is free for 4-year-olds in all 55 counties, and many classes run inside child care centers and Head Start programs; ask your county school system. Head Start and Early Head Start are free for families who qualify, mostly by income, and serve children from birth to age 5.

A home daycare or a part-time schedule can also cost less. Before you sign, ask about registration fees and whether you pay for holidays and weeks your child is away.