From the historic Potomac Highlands to the scenic Greenbrier Valley, West Virginia is a great place to raise a family that loves adventure, appreciates the state’s rich history and enjoys true Southern hospitality. Stunning natural scenery provides a gorgeous backdrop for charming mountain towns, Civil War battlefields and the capital city of Charleston. Fishermen, campers, golfers, divers and hunters will all feel at home in this rugged state’s 48 state parks. In the winter months, the John Brown Wax Museum, Wondermont Puppet Theater, Morgantown Fun Factory and Ah-ha Butterfly Ranch are fun outings for any family. West Virginia also offers adequate child care for the 199,013 families that call the “Mountain State” home.
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
9% of the state’s 364 child care centers are nationally accredited and 2,271 family child care homes offer additional care. There are 105,393 children under the age of four and 143,179 children age five to eleven.
West Virginia’s 59,422 single-parent families often rely on child care to continue working and supporting their families. Adequate child care is especially important to the 79,322 working mothers and 31,364 single working mothers in the state. 27,788 of these working mothers have children under the age of six and 10,313 have infants.
The average yearly cost of child care in a center for an infant is $6,950; in a family child care home the average cost is reduced to $5,350 annually. The cost of child care for a four-year old child averages $5,800 annually; in family child home the average cost is slightly less, at $5,150 per year. These figures are comparable to the annual tuition and fees at a state-run four-year college. Married couples in West Virginia can expect to pay an average of 12% of their annual income on child care. Single mothers dedicate an average of 43% of their annual income to child care. The financial burden of child care is eased for the 4,200 families that receive assistance from the state’s Child Care and Development Fund.
3,190 West Virginians work in child care centers, earning an average annual income of $18,310. This figure is below the national average of $21,110.
