Child Care Costs Are Surging and in Some Upstate Cities, It Now Beats Rent

In several major metros across the country, parents are facing a surprising and painful reality: the cost of full-time infant care is now higher than renting a two-bedroom apartment. A new LendingTree analysis shows that for many families, day care has become one of the biggest monthly expenses they face. Even bigger than housing!

Out of the 100 largest U.S. metros studied, 11 cities have reached the point where infant care outpaces rent. And two of those cities are in Upstate New York.

Nationally, full-time infant care averages $1,282 a month, while renting a two-bedroom unit costs about $1,716. That means child care is typically cheaper than rent across the U.S., but not everywhere. In some regions, especially in the Northeast and Midwest, parents are paying hundreds more per month just to secure a safe place for their children while they work.

Buffalo: Among the Highest Gaps in the Country

Buffalo ranks near the top of the national list, with infant care averaging $1,494 per month, compared to the average rent of $1,343. That’s an 11.2 percent difference, putting Buffalo among the metro areas where child care has officially become more expensive than housing.

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The burden becomes even heavier for families with two young children. In Buffalo, caring for an infant and a 4-year-old totals $2,761 per month, more than double the average rent, one of the largest disparities in the nation.

Syracuse: Day Care Edges Out Rent for One Child and Doubles It for Two

Syracuse is very close behind. Infant care there averages $1,506 per month, while rent for a two-bedroom runs around $1,392. That’s an 8.2 percent increase, putting Syracuse in the top tier of metros where child care costs have overtaken rent.

For families with two young children, the math becomes even more shocking: combined care reaches $2,784 per month, exactly 100 percent higher than average local rent.

Looking for Relief

Nationally, the cost of child care has risen more than 35 percent since 2019, even as rents continue to climb. In Syracuse and Buffalo, where wages lag behind larger metros, the squeeze is even more painful.

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Experts recommend exploring child care subsidies, government programs, and financial strategies like debt consolidation or personal loans to help with temporary burdens.

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