10 Worst Cities for Renters Who Need Child Care

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Rent prices in the U.S. have been going up since the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020. Low inventory is the chief factor driving high rents, and with interest rates still steep, fewer people can afford to buy. The cost of child care has also been going up in the U.S. Limited supply and overwhelming demand plays a similar role here. But what choice do we have? Working parents need to maintain an income. And even if you have the luxury of working from home, the “working” part doesn’t go away. Child care, however much of a privilege it’s become, is a need.

Combine rising rents with rising costs for child care and you get, quite possibly, a financial nightmare. And it’s worse in some major cities than in others. A recent analysis by Redfin looked at the combined monthly cost of rent and child care to find the 10 cities that are the most unaffordable for middle-class parents. All data cited is from Redfin, while U.S. Census Bureau data was used to source the median household incomes. 

10. San Francisco 

• Median monthly household income: $11,787
• Average monthly child care + rent costs: $4,692 ($1,997 for child care + $2,695 for rent)
• Share of income spent on child care + rent: 34.5%  

9. Phoenix

• Median monthly household income: $6,419
• Average monthly child care + rent costs: $2,393 ($918 for child care + $1,475 for rent)
• Share of income spent on child care + rent: 38.3%

8. Tampa, Florida 

• Median monthly household income: $5,941
• Average monthly child care + rent costs: $2,658 ($865 for child care + $1,793 for rent)
• Share of income spent on child care + rent: 40.6%

7. Boston 

• Median monthly household income: $8,077 
• Average monthly child care + rent costs: $4,396 ($1,609 for child care + $2,787 for rent) 
• Share of income spent on child care + rent: 42.1%

6. San Diego 

• Median monthly household income: $8,693
• Average monthly child care + rent costs: $3,995 ($1,318 for child care + $2,677 for rent)   
• Share of income spent on child care + rent: 42.6%

5. Riverside, California

• Median monthly household income: $7,473
• Average monthly child care + rent costs: $3,516 ($1,183 for child care + $2,333 for rent)    
• Share of income spent on child care + rent: 44.5%

4. Philadelphia 

• Median monthly household income: $5,058
• Average monthly child care + rent costs: $2,846 ($961 for child care + $1,855 for rent)    
• Share of income spent on child care + rent: 45.6%

3. Los Angeles 

• Median monthly household income: $7,313
• Average monthly child care + rent costs: $3,892 ($1,145 for child care + $2,747 for rent)     
• Share of income spent on child care + rent: 48.4%

2. New York

• Median monthly household income: $6,643
• Average monthly child care + rent costs: $4,051 ($1,208 for child care + $2,843 for rent)        
• Share of income spent on child care + rent: 49.2%

1. Miami

• Median monthly household income: $4,949
• Average monthly child care + rent costs: $3,179 ($764 for child care + $2,415 for rent)    
• Share of income spent on child care + rent: 50.5%

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