Child care costs are high in expensive areas but a high share of income in less expensive areas

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SOURCES: Authors’ calculations from California Department of Social Services 2021 Regional Market Rate Survey and 2019-2023 IPUMS NHGIS table.
NOTES: Authors exclude Sierra County from analysis due to missing income data. No RMR survey has been conducted since 2021. Dollar amounts are adjusted for inflation to July 2024.
FROM: PPIC Blog, October 2025
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