• Childcare consumes a significant share of household income:
  Among mothers who pay for childcare, 55% spend more than 10% of household income, and 37% spend more than 15%, indicating substantial financial strain.
• Childcare costs undermine financial stability:
  Nearly 7 in 10 mothers say childcare expenses directly limit their ability to save for emergencies, education, or retirement, and more than half report that lack of access to childcare has contributed to financial insecurity.
• Reduced earnings are common:
  Over 60% of mothers report reduced household net income due to childcare needs, and a similar share say they have cut work hours or earnings to manage caregiving responsibilities.
• Reliance on informal care is widespread:
  About 72% of mothers rely primarily on family members, partners, or themselves for childcare during working hours rather than paid care.
• Long-term earning potential is at risk:
  More than half of mothers believe taking time out of the workforce for childcare has negatively affected their future earning potential, with variation by political affiliation.
• Mothers call for affordability and systemic solutions:
  In open-ended responses, mothers most frequently suggested lowering or capping childcare costs, increasing public subsidies, employer-based childcare supports, and more flexible work arrangements.

In May 2024, Count on Mothers surveyed 1,048 mothers across 48 states and the political spectrum to examine how childcare costs and access affect family financial security. Mothers shared quantitative responses and open-ended insights based on firsthand experience. Findings show that childcare expenses and availability have significant, measurable impacts on household income, savings, and long-term earning potential across families nationwide.

This report focuses on information Count on Mothers collected on an issue of interest to Mothers. In May 2024, we studied Mothers’ first-hand experiences on the impact of childcare on their families’ financial security and provided an open field for them to share possible solutions. A total of 1048 Mothers residing in 48 states and from across the political spectrum provided feedback on these questions based on their first-hand knowledge. Regarding the political background of the survey respondents, the sample fairly reflects the U.S. breakdown of political ideology among women according to Gallup. 8.5% identified as very conservative, 18.6% identified as conservative, 39.9% identified as moderate, 21.9% identified as liberal and 9.5% identified as very liberal, and 1.5% identified as other. After analyzing Mothers’ opinions from the survey, we take this aggregate data and share it with policymakers and the public so they are educated on Mothers’ firsthand experiences.

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