Childcare is vital infrastructure for Tennessee’s long-term economic success. Childcare enables parents to pursue employment opportunities that fuel the state’s economic growth and stability. Quality early learning also lays the foundation for childhood development and life-long success and well-being. Below are key facts and figures on childcare in Tennessee.
Figure 1
- Tennessee had just over 324,000 regulated childcare spots in 2023. (DHS, Census)
- For context, that’s about 0.8 spots for every child under age 5 — which varied from 1.5 spots per kid in Obion County to 0.21 in McNairy (1). Statewide, this is about 7% fewer spots per child than 20 years ago and 15% fewer than the peak number in 2016 (Fig. 2). (DHS, Census)
- About 292,000 Tennessee children under age 6 had all available parents in the workforce in 2022. (ACS)
- The annual economic impact of inadequate childcare in Tennessee totals $2.6 billion in lost earnings and revenue for parents, businesses, and taxpayers. (TQEE)
- More than 80% of Tennessee working parents surveyed in 2022 reported employment disruptions due to inadequate childcare, citing affordability, quality and access as major challenges. (TQEE)
- The median earnings of a Tennessee worker were about $40,200 in 2022. As of May 2023, the typical childcare worker made just over $27,000 per year— or $13.21 per hour. (ACS, BLS)
- In 2022, the average annual price for families in full-time, center-based childcare was about $15,000 for infants and $13,000 for children 2 and older. That’s as much as 20% of the 2022 median income of Tennessee families with children and 50% more than average tuition and fees for public college in Tennessee ( 3). (DHS, ACS, THEC)
- Nationally, one in four parents of children under 3 have been fired from or quit a job because of challenges securing childcare, and 41% have turned down a new job offer due to childcare. (Bishop)
References
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DHS —
Regulated Child Care Spaces: Tennessee Department of Human Services, Regulated Child Care Spaces in Tennessee Accessed via KIDS COUNT Data Center at https://datacenter.aecf.org/data/tables/3024-regulated-child-care-spaces?loc=44&loct=2#detailed/5/6420-6514/false/2545,1095,2048,574,1729,37,871,870,573,869/any/10120.
Average Cost of Childcare (full-time calculation assumed 50 weeks of center-based care): Tennessee Department of Human Services, FY 2022-2023: Determining Child Care Market Rates in the State of Tennessee, July 31, 2023. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/human-services/documents/2022-2023%20Market%20Rate%20Survey.pdf
Census —
County Population Estimates – Children Under 5 (2022): U.S. Census Bureau, Annual County and Puerto Rico Municipio Resident Population Estimates by Selected Age Groups and Sex: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022 (CC-EST2022-AGESEX). Accessed from https://www.census.gov/data/datasets/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-detail.html.
State Population Estimates – Children Under 5 (2020-2021): U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Estimates of the Resident Population by Single Year of Age and Sex: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022. Accessed from https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-state-detail.html.
State Population Estimates – Children Under 5 (2010-2019): U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Estimates of the Resident Population by Single Year of Age and Sex for Tennessee: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2019. Accessed from https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2010s-state-detail.html.
State Population Estimates – Children Under 5 (2004-2009): U.S. Census Bureau, Intercensal Estimates of the Resident Population by Single Year of Age and Sex for States and the United States: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2010. Accessed from https://www.census.gov/data/datasets/time-series/demo/popest/intercensal-2000-2010-state.html.
ACS —
Children With Working Parents: U.S. Census Bureau. “Selected Economic Characteristics.” American Community Survey, ACS 1-Year Estimates Data Profiles, Table DP03, 2022. https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDP1Y2022.DP03?q=, DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics&g=040XX00US47
Median Individual Earnings: U.S. Census Bureau. “Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2022 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars).” American Community Survey, ACS 1-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Table S2001, 2022. https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST1Y2022.S2001?q=median earnings&g=040XX00US47
Median Family Income of Parents: U.S. Census Bureau. “Median Family Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2022 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) by Presence of Own Children Under 18 Years.” American Community Survey, ACS 1-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B19125, 2022. https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2022.B19125?q=Income own children&g=040XX00US47
TQEE —
Economic Impact and Tennessee Parent Impact Survey: Tennesseans for Quality Early Education, 2022 Child Care Study, December 2022. https://tqee.org/app/uploads/2022/12/2022-TQEE-Child-Care-Study.pdf
BLS —
Childcare Worker Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Accessed on April 8, 2024. https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_tn.htm
THEC —
Average Annual In-State Tuition in Fees for 2022-2023: Tennessee Higher Education Commission, Tennessee Higher Education Fact Book 2022-2023. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/thec/bureau/research/other-research/factbook/2023/Fact%20Book_2023_SUMMER%20UPDATE.pdf
Bishop —
National Parent Impact Survey: Sandra Bishop, $122 Billion: The Growing, Annual Cost of The Infant-Toddler Child Care Crisis. Council for a Strong America, February 2, 2023. https://www.strongnation.org/articles/2038-122-billion-the-growing-annual-cost-of-the-infant-toddler-child-care-crisis
