JACKSON, Miss. — Think paying for college is hard? In some parts of the country childcare is sometimes more expensive. Last year the average center-based cost for child care rose about 3 percent nationwide according to a study by Child Care Aware of America.
Recently, full-time care for a 4-year-old hit a high of over $12,355 a year in Massachusetts. The lowest cost for full time child care was in Mississippi at $4,312, which was still 12 percent of what the average Mississippi household earns.
The cost of child care is determined by labor costs, regulations, and living expenses. Places where child care is expensive like Massachusetts require one adult to supervise three children, while in Mississippi low requires five kids to an adult.
