(The Center Square) – The average cost of child care for infants in Tennessee is $13,926, more expensive than tuition at the state’s four public universities, according to a report from the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth.
The State of the Child in Tennessee 2025 Report examined child-related metrics from birth through the teenage years. The economic metrics showed some improvements but also some declines.
The commission said that for many families, child care is their largest expense, in some cases exceeding rent or mortgage.
“Child care costs continue to be out of reach for many families, particularly single-income households,” the report said.
Child care is a necessity for most Tennessee parents, as 65% of children under the age of 6 had at least one parent in the workforce in 2026, according to the report.
Tennessee’s child poverty rate remains below the national average at 19.1%, but it decreased slightly in 2024. Also declining is the child poverty rate for children under the age of 5 from 29% to 18.1%, which is the lowest in 10 years, the commission said in the report. The rate increased from 16.8% in 2022 to 19.5% in 2024 for children aged five to 17.
The report also looked at the number of homeless children based on statistics from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which measured the last week of January 2024. During that time, the homeless included 1,013 Tennessee children and 514 people between the ages of 18 to 24. The Memphis and Nashville areas had the highest numbers of homeless children and young adults, according to the report.
Researchers said the number of families reaching out to food banks increased during the government shutdown in the fall of 2025, with four regional food banks reporting an increase in demand. The Chattanooga Area Food Bank served 60% more households during the first week of November 2025 than during the same time period in November 2024.
Most Tennessee families lived above the poverty level of 2024 ($25,820 for a family of three), according to the report. Thirty-two percent were 500% above, which is an average of $129,000 a year. The report shows 16.1% of Tennessee families lived at or below the poverty level. Over 4% lived at 50% below the poverty line, which is an average of $12,910 a year, according to the report.
