The 10 most and 10 least expensive cities to own a home and pay for childcare

Childcare and housing costs can exceed 90% of a family's income in some metros. dusanpetkovic/Getty Images Buying a home already comes with plenty to consider, like price and location, but if you have children or plan to start a family, childcare should also be part of the equation.Some parents pay upward of $45,000 a year in childcare, and while a lot of that has to do with the quality of childcare, a big part of the price also depends on where you're located.Redfin, in partnership with childcare marketplace and data platform Winnie, calculated the share of income spent on childcare costs combined with housing costs across the 100 most populous metros.Across the country, families spend 52% of their annual income on housing and childcare combined. In some cities on the list, that number is above 90%.It may not be surprising that more expensive regions of the country charge higher childcare costs; however, in areas where families are earning more, childcare costs remain taxing. In a city like San Jose, California, where the median household income is $176,401 — more than double the national median of $83,730 in 2024 — the share of income spent on childcare and housing is 83.1%."A high-paying job in San Francisco or Los Angeles can get wiped out fast once you factor for rent and day care, while a lower-paying job in a smaller metro might actually leave your family with more disposable income," Redfin's chief economist Daryl Fairweather told Business Insider. "Like anything else, it's ultimately a tradeoff and the decision should depend on your personal circumstances."On the other hand, places where families spend the smallest share of their income on childcare aren't necessarily in places where homes are the cheapest."A cheap house doesn't always translate to a cheap life," Fairweather said. "We're seeing metros where housing is a steal, but childcare is eating up a big portion of the family budget, and vice versa in places like San Francisco. Families need to look at the whole picture before they decide where to plant roots."Read on to see where childcare and housing costs take the smallest and biggest cuts of your paycheck. Metros where childcare and housing consume the smallest share of family income Little Rock, Arkansas. Sean Pavone/Getty Images 10. Dayton, OH Dayton, Ohio. Sean Pavone/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 43.8%Median annual childcare cost: $13,788Median annual housing cost: $20,459Median annual household income: $78,105 9. Louisville, KY Louisville, Kentucky. halbergman/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 43.4%Median annual childcare cost: $12,780Median annual housing cost: $22,668Median annual household income: $81,757 8. Tulsa, OK Tulsa, Oklahoma. DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 43.3%Median annual childcare cost: $10,860Median annual housing cost: $21,879Median annual household income: $75,570 7. Akron, OH Akron, Ohio. Dee Liu/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 43.2%Median annual childcare cost: $13,896Median annual housing cost: $20,133Median annual household income: $78,753 6. Baton Rouge, LA Baton Rouge, Louisiana. CRobertson/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 42.5%Median annual childcare cost: $10,968Median annual housing cost: $21,639Median annual household income: $76,675 5. St. Louis, MO St. Louis. Art Wager/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 42.2%Median annual childcare cost: $13,872Median annual housing cost: $23,552Median annual household income: $88,593 4. Warren, MI Roseville, Michigan, six miles east of Warren, Michigan. Hunter Souza/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 42.2%Median annual childcare cost: $13,548Median annual housing cost: $27,239Median annual household income: $96,676 3. Des Moines, IA Des Moines, Iowa. Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 41.8%Median annual childcare cost: $13,464Median annual housing cost: $25,835Median annual household income: $93,984 2. Oklahoma City, OK Oklahoma City. RudyBalasko/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 40.8%Median annual childcare cost: $10,884Median annual housing cost: $21,290Median annual household income: $78,818 1. Little Rock, AR Little Rock, Arkansas. Rdlamkin/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 39.8%Median annual childcare cost: $9,612Median annual housing cost: $19,539Median annual household income: $73,170 Metros where childcare and housing consume the biggest share of family income Los Angeles. Boarding1Now/Getty Images 10. Riverside, CA Riverside, California. DianeBentleyRaymond/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 71%Median annual childcare cost: $22,680Median annual housing cost: $46,277Median annual household income: $97,116 9. Miami, FL Miami. photosvit/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 75.3%Median annual childcare cost: $13,080Median annual housing cost: $45,523Median annual household income: $77,854 8. Springfield, MA Springfield, Massachusetts. DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 75.3%Median annual childcare cost: $26,340Median annual housing cost: $35,200Median annual household income: $81,734 7. Oxnard, CA Oxnard, California. benedek/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 77.1%Median annual childcare cost: $22,668Median annual housing cost: $69,227Median annual household income: $119,133 6. San Diego, CA San Diego. Alexander Spatari/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 82.1%Median annual childcare cost: $22,632Median annual housing cost: $71,997Median annual household income: $115,304 5. San Jose, CA San Jose, California. halbergman/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 83.1%Median annual childcare cost: $22,800Median annual housing cost: $123,717Median annual household income: $176,401 4. Anaheim, CA Anaheim, California. NANCY PAUWELS/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 93.5%Median annual childcare cost: $22,752Median annual housing cost: $95,218Median annual household income: $126,178 3. San Francisco, CA San Francisco. Dee Liu/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 94.2%Median annual childcare cost: $22,668Median annual housing cost: $129,978Median annual household income: $162,118 2. New York, NY New York. full frame sensor Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 95%Median annual childcare cost: $26,796Median annual housing cost: $66,617Median annual household income: $98,287 1. Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles. Kruck20/Getty Images Share of income spent on childcare and housing combined: 96.8%Median annual childcare cost: $22,656Median annual housing cost: $71,957Median annual household income: $97,775 Read next Jordan reports on moving trends — from remote work to house hacking. He also writes about movers struggling with issues around relocating like buyer's remorse and the many intricacies of moving to an unfamiliar state. He also has stories focusing on property technology and in 2022, moderated a panel on fractional investing at real estate technology conference Blueprint. Before Insider, he covered luxury real estate in South Florida for The Real Deal. He holds a Master's degree in Magazine Writing from New York University and a Bachelor's degree in English from Florida State University. Parenting