New data from the U.S. Department of Labor revealed Russell County families pay more than 11 percent of their income toward childcare, higher than what is considered affordable by the Department for Health and Human Services.
According to the data, Russell County families spend about 11.5 percent of their income on childcare while “affordable” childcare is considered to be less than 7 percent, although only 2 percent of U.S. counties fall under that number.
Neighboring counties have about the same rate, with Pulaski and Clinton counties being noticeably higher at more than 13 percent.
Data also shows that since the pandemic in 2020, childcare costs around the country have risen by about 40 percent.
