The Nebraska Child Care Affordability

Calculator Methodology

The concept of the price calculator is to

illustrate the average monthly expenses families

generally face as a portion of their monthly

income and then compare the remaining

amount (net income) to the price of child care

by age of the child(ren)

• in urban and rural communities, and

• in licensed child care centers and family

child care homes.

The net income portion of the calculator

household expenses.

Once net income is determined, users are asked

to select the child care that they need by age of

child, by geography, and by setting (licensed

child care center or family child care home).

The prices for care are from the Nebraska 2023

Market Rate Survey conducted by the Buffett

Early Childhood Institute, University of

Nebraska.

Fields in the calculator have a default setting

can select care based on the age of the child,

including the ability to select zero if they do not

have a child of a specific age, or a child of that

the calculator shows net monthly income minus

child care prices based on the user’s child care

selections.

Data Utilized. The calculator begins by asking

users to select a Nebraska county.

County and Median Household Income. Once a

county is selected, median household income

for a family with children in that county is pre-

populated in the median monthly income field

(Table S1903 Median Income in the Past 12

with either the Nebraska median monthly rent

for a 2-bedroom apartment (B25031 Median

Gross Rent by Bedrooms, 2020 American

Community Survey 5-Year Estimates) or the

Nebraska median monthly mortgage payment

(S2506 Financial Characteristics for Housing

Units with a Mortgage, 2020 American

Community Survey 5-Year Estimates).

Utilities. Nebraska average monthly household

gas bill expenses, average gas usage and prices,

are from the American Gas Association. Average

broadband internet pricing information is from

The Nebraska Child Care Affordability

Calculator Methodology

from Circle of Blue. The average price of

streaming services is from a nation-wide survey

that reflects state variations conducted by

Reviews.org.

Food Expenses. Average monthly food

expenses are based on the U.S.D.A. moderate

cost, Thrifty Food Plan, 2021 which represents a

nutritious, practical, cost-effective diet. Another

basis of the Thrifty Food Plan is that all meals

available on the Nebraska state exchange and

found that the Statewide Silver 5000 offered by

Bright Health Insurance Co. is the least

expensive Silver plan available. Plans vary by an

individual's age, number of people covered in

the household, co-pays, and deductibles.

Families could qualify for Medicaid or have no

health insurance. For the purposes of the

calculator, the monthly premium for the

Statewide Silver 5000 plan was utilized for a

Car Payments. The average monthly car

payment for Nebraska drivers comes from

Quick Auto Talk, The Average Auto Loan

Payment For New & Used Cars In Every State,

December 10, 2019. If households have more

than one car and are making car payments for

each car, this field can be adjusted to reflect

higher expenses. The default value reflects one

car payment per month.

Vehicle Gas Payments. The data is obtained

through multiple calculations. The average

price per gallon for regular unleaded gas in

Nebraska is reported by the Nebraska

Department of Environment and Energy.

Vehicle average miles per gallon of gas is

reported by the U.S. Department of Energy,

Alternative Fuels Data Center, Maps and Data -

Average Fuel Economy by Major Vehicle

reflect higher gas expenses. The default value

reflects gas payments for one driver and one

vehicle per month.

Child Care Prices by Age of Child, Setting, and

Geography (Urban or Rural). Payments for child

care vary by the age of the child (i.e., child care

prices are highest for the youngest children).

The prices vary by setting (child care centers are

more expensive than family child care homes).

the Buffett Early Childhood Institute, University

of Nebraska (August 2022). The 75

percentile

means the price at which families can access

75% of providers in a community. Users select

the child care they need including the ability to

select zero if they do not have a child in need of

care.

Final Calculations. The final calculation

compares net income to child care prices based