Daycare Cost in San Bernardino County, CA

Childcare in San Bernardino County, CA

San Bernardino County is the largest county by area in the contiguous United States, spanning from the Inland Empire suburbs east of Los Angeles to the Mojave Desert and the Nevada border. Its 2.2 million residents are concentrated in the western portion, in cities like San Bernardino, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, and Ontario, where logistics, healthcare, and education are the primary employers. Infant care averages around $19,981 per year, reflecting California-wide cost pressures that are particularly burdensome for the county's many moderate-income warehouse and distribution workers. The county has a young population with a high proportion of families with children under five, intensifying childcare demand.

Finding Care

Western San Bernardino County has a reasonably developed childcare market, with concentrations of centers in Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, and Ontario, though the supply of infant and toddler slots falls well short of demand. The high desert communities of Victorville, Hesperia, and Apple Valley face more severe childcare shortages, with families often commuting significant distances to access licensed care. Family childcare homes are a critical part of the supply in San Bernardino County, especially in lower-income communities where center-based care may be unaffordable even with subsidies.

Local Resources

The San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools office operates the local CCR&R, connecting families with providers and assisting with subsidy enrollment through CalWORKs and Alternative Payment programs. First 5 San Bernardino funds quality improvement for local providers, family engagement activities, and the operation of Family Resource Centers throughout the county. Head Start and Early Head Start programs in the county are operated by the Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County (CAPSBC), serving thousands of low-income children at sites across the western valley and high desert regions.