2026 Louisiana Poll: Voters Say Child Care Costs Add to Affordability Crisis, Want Action

LOUISIANA — New statewide polling from UpONE Insights, conducted on behalf of the First Five Years Fund and the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, finds that the high cost of child care is a significant part of Louisiana voters’ broader affordability concerns. Voters across party lines are concerned about families’ ability to find and afford quality care and express strong, bipartisan support for lawmakers to take action to make child care more affordable and accessible. The findings also underscore an opportunity for lawmakers to expand access to affordable child care, helping families manage costs, strengthening the workforce, and supporting Louisiana’s economy.

For Louisiana voters, affordability is top of mind.

Asked what two issues were most important to their families, Louisiana votes overwhelmingly said lowering the cost of living (59%) followed by a better economy with more jobs (36%). The findings underscore the financial pressures facing families across the state, including. 

• 50% are unable to pay their full credit card bill every month
• 49% have difficulty accessing or paying for health care
• 46% are unable to save money for the future due to child care costs
• 36% are struggling to pay for child care costs
• And 26% are struggling to feed their families.

The polling makes clear that voters see child care as a central part of the affordability crisis—and believe addressing it is essential to Louisiana’s economic future.

And child care costs are part of this affordability challenge.

A strong majority of Louisiana voters (76%) say the cost of child care is part of the nation’s affordability crisis, including 71% of Republicans, 83% of Independents, and 90% of Democrats. 

• In fact, four in five voters (81%) say the ability of working parents to find and afford child care is either a crisis or a major problem. 
• That concern spans party lines, including 74% of Republicans, 82% of independents, and 90% of Democrats.

This has real implications for families. 

• More than a quarter of respondents (28%) are delaying starting or growing their families due to child care costs, including half (51%) of current parents. 
• And 59% are concerned that young families may leave Louisiana or choose not to have children because they cannot find affordable child care. 

Voters also recognize the economic benefits of expanding access to quality care. 

• Three-quarters (75%) say increasing access to quality child care would help strengthen Louisiana’s economy and workforce, including 67% of Republicans, 88% of Independents, and 82% of Democrats. 

Together, these findings show that the availability and affordability of child care are about more than household budgets. They shape families’ decisions about whether and when to have children, employers’ ability to attract and retain workers, and Louisiana’s ability to attract and retain young families.

Voters Call for Action and Support Increased Investment

Louisiana voters are increasingly ready for policymakers to act. 

• Nearly three-quarters (72%) say ensuring more working families have access to affordable, quality child care should be an important state priority over the next year—up seven percentage points from 65% in 2025.
• Voters also want their elected officials to work across party lines to deliver solutions. A majority (58%) say they want their members of Congress to do whatever it takes to pass child care legislation, even if that means compromising and working across the aisle.
• Support for public investment is similarly strong. Nearly three-quarters of voters (73%) believe federal funding for child care and early learning programs for low-income working families is a good investment of taxpayer money. A majority (53%) also want to see federal funding for quality child care programs for working parents increased, including 51% of parents and 53% of nonparents.

Bottom Line

The results point to a clear message from Louisiana voters: making child care more affordable and accessible is a priority that cuts across party lines, and families want state and federal leaders to work together on meaningful solutions.