Huffington Magazine Issue 62 | Page 13

DATA Enter HUFFINGTON 08.18.13 Priced Out of Child Care Child care costs have risen in recent years while the federal minimum wage has not. For most parents, child care is the biggest household expense, outpacing average rent payment in many states. Below, see what it costs — by state on average — to put an infant and a 4 year old in a child care center for one year. In most states, the price of care for two young children exceeds the salary of someone working full-time in a minimum wage job. — Katy Hall AVERAGE ANNUAL COST OF CHILD CARE FOR TWO CHILDREN SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU. CHILD CARE AWARE OF AMERICA $10,000 $14,999 $15,000 $19,999 $20,000 $24,999 STATE L