What does this measure?
The percentage of children in subsidized child care, expressed as a rate of all children under 13.
Why is this important?
Parents who cannot pay for child care on their own may be unable to work or may leave children unsupervised. Child care subsidies can help low-income families get on their feet financially. The number of families receiving such help can be a partial measure of the number of working poor people in a region, though policy and administrative decisions can also factor into trends.
How is Westchester County performing?
In 2022, over 2,100 children, or 1.4% of Westchester County's children under 13, participated in subsidized child care. This was less than the 2.3% rate statewide. Westchester's rate has been slowly decreasing from a high of 2.1% in 2011 but has risen from its lowest rate of 1.0% in 2021. Compared with similar counties, Westchester's rate of children in subsized care was higher than Putnam, at 0.1%, and Rockland, at 0.8%, but lower than Nassau, at 1.9%.
Notes about the data
Data for each year represent the average of the number of children in subsidized care each month of the year, out of all children under age 13. Comparable national data were not available. To be eligible for subsidized care, a child must be under 13, under 18 if disabled, or under a court order. Data do not reflect the number of children eligible for subsidized care, only those receiving it following a formal application and approval process.
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westchester County | 1.6% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.4% |
| Nassau County | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.9% |
| Putnam County | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Rockland County | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.6% | 1.2% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.3% | 1.1% | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| New York State | 3.6% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.9% | 4.2% | 4.1% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 3.4% | 2.7% | 2.1% | 2.3% |
Notes: Rates reflect percent of all children under age 13. To be eligible for subsidized care, a child must be under 13, under 18 if disabled, or under a court order.
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westchester County | 2,761 | 3,013 | 3,069 | 3,364 | 3,621 | 3,451 | 3,035 | 3,210 | 3,124 | 3,125 | 2,960 | 2,774 | 2,491 | 1,683 | 1,655 | 2,150 |
| Nassau County | 3,176 | 3,294 | 3,390 | 3,605 | 4,200 | 4,348 | 4,919 | 5,155 | 5,058 | 5,079 | 4,990 | 4,998 | 4,760 | 3,817 | 3,769 | 4,259 |
| Putnam County | 88 | 82 | 100 | 111 | 107 | 104 | 112 | 93 | 77 | 77 | 81 | 67 | 47 | 17 | 14 | 18 |
| Rockland County | 1,087 | 1,098 | 1,176 | 1,344 | 1,319 | 1,277 | 1,119 | 853 | 876 | 884 | 874 | 900 | 810 | 518 | 494 | 582 |
| New York State | 120,153 | 120,593 | 121,127 | 129,015 | 137,840 | 134,868 | 131,998 | 128,499 | 126,649 | 125,215 | 120,383 | 116,998 | 105,704 | 82,111 | 64,665 | 70,258 |
Notes: To be eligible for subsidized care, a child must be under 13, under 18 if disabled, or under a court order.
| INDICATORS | TREND | WESTCHESTER |
|---|
