Bozeman Childcare Costs Now Require Second Job, Which Requires More Childcare
New data released this week confirms what most Bozeman parents already suspected: the cost of childcare in the Gallatin Valley now exceeds federal affordability guidelines by a margin that one economist described as “mathematically uncomfortable.”
The average Bozeman family pays approximately $1,500 per month for childcare, against a median household income of $79,000. Federal guidelines suggest childcare should cost no more than 7 percent of household income. In Bozeman, it’s closer to 23 percent, which is technically fine if you don’t also need housing, food, or gasoline.