Tennessee
Working families in Tennessee need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children.
Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Tennessee. But too many working families in Tennessee are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Tennessee economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
In the state, 62% of children have all available parents participating in the workforce, while the average cost of care is $13,126 a year (or $1,094 per month).
More than 20,000 children ages 5 and under have child care costs subsidized through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), or 15% of those eligible. The average copay with a CCDBG subsidy is $268 a month.
16.4K children receive care, learning, nutrition, and other services at no cost through Early Head Start/Head Start (or 5% of those eligible for Early Head Start and 27% of those eligible for Head Start).
And 117.7K working families have the cost of their child care offset through the Child + Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC).
However, many working parents still struggle to access affordable, quality child care, which costs the state’s economy an estimated $3.3 billion each year in lost earnings and productivity.
Tennessee: In The Headlines
Study: 40% of Tennessee kids not ready for kindergarten
WKRN | fEBRUARY 12, 2026
A new report shows many Tennessee kids aren’t ready for kindergarten.
Tennessee families see financial strain with childcare costs now outpacing college tuition
News Channel 9 | January 21, 2026
Child care now costs more than college for many Tennessee families. That’s according to new state data, which shows infant care alone averages nearly $14,000 a year.
Child care is often unaffordable, but some hope to change that
WBBJ | September 5, 2025
The financial burden that comes with finding and being able to afford child care often pushes some into poverty.
Tennessee Resources & News
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