Child care cost as much as rent for many families at inflation's peak, new data shows
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“These costs are just untenable for an awful lot of families,” the Labor Department found. But while Trump benefited from voters’ economic ire, the politics of child care aren’t cut-and-dried.

Summary

Child care costs for many U.S. families during peak inflation in 2022 ranged from $6,552 to $15,600 per child, comparable to rent, according to Labor Department data.

These high costs strained household budgets, disproportionately impacted women’s workforce participation, and fueled economic dissatisfaction among voters.

While Kamala Harris proposed policies to reduce child care costs, Donald Trump capitalized on broader economic grievances to expand his voter base, despite offering few specifics on addressing the issue.

Pandemic-era federal aid helped stabilize costs but left parents bearing much of the financial burden.