NEW YORK STATE — The average cost of child care in New York State is $14,621, the second highest in the U.S., according to a new report released by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli; see full report at on.ny.gov/4gysBH0. New York’s child care sector continues to face lingering challenges post-pandemic including child care deserts, low wages and high prices that are putting a financial strain on families statewide.

According to the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), 60 percent of the state’s census tracts were child care deserts in 2023. From 2018 to 2023, New York’s average annual child care prices rose nearly 18 percent according to the U.S. Department of Labor.