Cost of child care exceeds affordability benchmark for many low-income Hispanic families

Low-income Hispanic families who pay out of pocket for child care tend to face relatively high costs that exceed the federal benchmark of affordability, according to a recent research brief. The study found that immigrant Hispanic households who pay out of pocket for child care spend an average of $101.14 per week on care (the equivalent of 29 percent of their total household income) and nonimmigrant Hispanic households spend an average of $91.98 (the equivalent of 26 percent of their total household income). These costs are higher than those of low-income white households but lower than those of black households. High child care costs not only affect families’ access to care arrangements, but also impact their ability to make ends meet by limiting their capacity to save money and build financial resilience.