Patch: As Childcare Costs Spiral, Here's What Parents In MN Are Paying

Minnesota stands out for having some of the best-paid babysitters, nannies, and daycare workers in the United States, according to the 2024 Cost of Care Report by Care.com. The report compared childcare costs across states, ranking them based on hourly and weekly rates. In Minnesota, babysitters have the 20th-highest average hourly rate of $21.15, nannies rank 18th with an hourly rate of $18.53, and child care centers also rank 18th with hourly rates averaging $228.04 per week. However, the report highlights the overall challenge faced by families, indicating that, on average, they spend nearly a quarter (24%) of their household income on child care, a burden three times higher than the 7% deemed affordable by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The survey of 2,000 parents also revealed that 39% are paying more due to the expiration of federal pandemic-related assistance, and 79% expect rates to increase in 2024, further exacerbating the childcare crisis.

As the "child care cliff" – the impact of the expiration of federal pandemic-related assistance – affects families, the survey found that 43% of respondents faced increased difficulty finding childcare last year. Additionally, 65% reported being on a waitlist, with 62% stating that the centers they were waiting for had closed since September. While waiting, over half of respondents on a waitlist are paying an additional $200 per week for childcare. The report emphasizes that childcare costs have become a major concern for voters, with 88% expressing that a candidate's stance on childcare access and affordability will influence their votes in the 2024 presidential election. Brad Wilson, CEO of Care.com, underscores the systemic failure of the childcare crisis, asserting that it poses a threat to the nation's economic growth, impacting everyone, not just parents.

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