Things just keep getting more expensive, and child care is no exception. Now, most American adults say the cost of child care has become a “major problem.”
An AP-NORC poll released on Tuesday, July 8 shows 76% of adults in the U.S. feel that way — but they’re divided on how to fix it.
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A Department of Labor report released in 2024 found that, for many families, paying for child care was equivalent to or more than the cost of rent. The agency said households typically spend between 9% and 16% of their annual income on day care per child.
How do Americans think child care costs should be addressed?
Almost two-thirds (64%) of those surveyed are in favor of requiring employers to provide free or low-cost day care for children who are too young to go to school. Meanwhile, 46% said the federal government should make helping working families pay for child care a high priority.
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Households typically spend between 9% and 16% of their annual income on day care per child.
Another solution could be having a stay-at-home parent. Nearly half of the survey’s respondents (45%) said children with two parents are better off when one parent does not have a job and raises the children.
When it comes to who should stay home with the kids, 56% of people said it doesn’t really matter. However, 4 in 10 said it should be the mother.
What is the government doing to help?
President Donald Trump’s newly passed budget includes tax credits and benefits for parents, as well as businesses that help employees with child care.
It also raised the child tax credit from $2,000 to $2,200, though Trump and Vice President JD Vance had floated raising it to $5,000 while campaigning last year.
Trump has also voiced support for a $5,000 baby bonus. Only a third of those surveyed backed the idea.
The budget bill also created something called “Trump Accounts” for babies. The accounts provide $1,000 in government money for babies born from Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2028.
What else did we learn from the survey?
Despite the Trump administration’s recent push, only 12% said encouraging families to have more children should be “a high priority” for the federal government. The vast majority, 62%, said it should be low on the priority list.
And when it comes to having a new baby, 67% of people were in favor of requiring paid family leave.
