In America today, 65% of children under age 6 have two working parents — more than double the number since 1970.
For families across the country, childcare is a necessity — and financial burden — like never before.
The Care Index, a new report from think tank New America, Care.com, and others, details the three "pillars" of childcare — cost, quality, and availability— and the variances across state lines.
Among its findings, the report revealed that in 33 US states, the average cost of full-time, in-center care for one child under age 4 has eclipsed that of in-state public college tuition. Overall, across the country, childcare now costs $9,589 a year on average, compared with $9,410 for in-state college tuition.
