Childcare costs continue to soar in TN

New data from the 2025 State of the Child in Tennessee report shows that childcare costs continue to rise across the state, often exceeding what families pay for housing, and in some cases even outpacing the cost of college tuition. According to the report, the average annual cost of center-based infant care in Tennessee is nearly $14,000 and that figure is higher than in-state tuition at all of Tennessee’s public four-year universities. For toddlers, annual care can still cost more than $10,000 a year. For many families child care is now the single largest household expense, ins some cases costing more than rent or a mortgage. With a new legislative session underway, child care affordability is expected to be a major topic of discussion at the Capitol with legislators expected to debate options ranging from subsidies and tax credits to workforce support for child care providers