Child Care Costs Higher Than Rent for Millions of Americans, Analysis Finds

American families spend between 8.9 precent and 16 percent of their income on full-day care for just one child.

Infant care was found to be more expensive than rent in 11 major metropolitan areas. Photo by Tracy Watson

Millions of Americans pay more for child care than rent every month, according to a new analysis by online lending marketplace LendingTree.

Researchers found that child care costs exceeded the cost of a two-bedroom home or apartment for families with two children in 85 of the 100 largest metropolitan areas examined.