Gilbert, a fast-growing family suburb in the southeast Valley in Maricopa County, prices in the upper-middle band of Arizona's daycare market, below Scottsdale but above older parts of Phoenix. The master-planned east side, Val Vista Lakes, Seville, and Power Ranch, sets the top of the range, while older central and west Gilbert sit lower. Arizona funds no universal pre-K and offers no state child care tax credit, so the under-five years run long here.
Reviewed by: a credentialed early-childhood reviewer (pending assignment).
In 2026 dollars, full-time center-based daycare in Gilbert, Arizona runs roughly $1,150 to $1,600 per month for infant care and roughly $950 to $1,350 per month for preschool-age care, which puts Gilbert in the upper-middle band for Maricopa County, below Scottsdale and at or slightly above the Phoenix average. Licensed family child care typically charges 15 to 25 percent less than centers in the same part of town. These ranges come from the U.S. Department of Labor's National Database of Childcare Prices for Maricopa County and the Arizona child care market rate survey, not single-point averages.
Infant care in Gilbert prices 25 to 35 percent above preschool-age care because of staffing ratios. Arizona sets a tighter caregiver-to-infant ratio for the youngest infants than for preschoolers, so a center pays more adults to cover an infant room than a preschool room. That arithmetic, not rent, is what keeps the infant line the most expensive item in any Gilbert center's budget, per 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the Phoenix-Gilbert area.
| Area | Infant, center | Preschool, center | Family child care |
|---|---|---|---|
| Val Vista Lakes, Seville | $1,450–$1,600 / month | $1,215–$1,350 / month | $1,185–$1,320 / month |
| Power Ranch, Cooley Station | $1,350–$1,500 / month | $1,135–$1,265 / month | $1,105–$1,235 / month |
| Agritopia, Higley corridor | $1,270–$1,410 / month | $1,060–$1,185 / month | $1,030–$1,155 / month |
| Val Vista, Greenfield corridor | $1,200–$1,340 / month | $1,000–$1,120 / month | $975–$1,095 / month |
| Heritage District, downtown Gilbert | $1,165–$1,300 / month | $965–$1,080 / month | $940–$1,055 / month |
| West, older central Gilbert | $1,150–$1,275 / month | $950–$1,060 / month | $925–$1,035 / month |
These ranges reflect licensed care, not unlicensed arrangements or subsidized seats. Val Vista Lakes, Seville, and the Power Ranch area sit at the top of the range, tracking newer master-planned demand and higher household incomes. Older central and west Gilbert sit at the bottom. The spread across Gilbert is moderate, so your child's age still moves the bill more than the ZIP code does.
Mostly not. Arizona does not fund universal state pre-K, so there is no free public pre-K grade open to all four-year-olds in Gilbert, per Arizona's early childhood funding structure. Some Gilbert Public Schools and Higley Unified School District sites and community programs offer tuition-based or targeted preschool, but these are not a universal free year.
Federal Head Start and Early Head Start serve lower-income families from birth to five, with providers operating across Maricopa County, and First Things First funds some Quality First scholarships at participating high-quality programs. Because there is no universal free pre-K, most Gilbert families pay private tuition straight through to kindergarten, which makes the full birth-to-five stretch the expensive part of raising young children here.
Heads up. Gilbert is a high-demand family suburb with no free pre-K year to shorten the runway, and the best-rated infant rooms in the east-side master-planned communities fill early because tight infant ratios limit seats. Plan for full private tuition for the under-five years, apply early for the DES subsidy if you are income-eligible since Arizona has used a waitlist, and ask each program about Quality First scholarships.
Arizona offers Child Care Assistance through the Arizona Department of Economic Security under the federal Child Care and Development Fund. It helps income-eligible working families pay for care at certified or licensed providers, paying the provider directly with a sliding-scale family copay, so parents can work or attend training. Arizona has at times maintained a waitlist for this assistance, so Gilbert families who may qualify should apply as early as possible.
First Things First, Arizona's early childhood agency funded through a dedicated tobacco tax, runs Quality First, a quality improvement and rating system, and funds Quality First scholarships at participating programs, per First Things First. When you tour a center in Seville, Power Ranch, or the Heritage District, ask about its Quality First rating and its state license or certification status first, since the rating signals quality and a participating provider is what makes the subsidy, scholarships, and federal credits usable.
Because Arizona offers no state child care tax credit, three federal tools do the tax work for Gilbert families: the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit on IRS Form 2441, a Dependent Care FSA at many employers (up to $5,000 per household per year in pre-tax savings), and the federal Child Tax Credit of up to $2,000 per child. On Gilbert's upper-middle tuition, these credits meaningfully narrow the gap, though they cover only part of the bill.
Large Gilbert and East Valley employers, including Banner Health, Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, GoDaddy, and Gilbert Public Schools, often offer a Dependent Care FSA through payroll. A two-earner household that funds the full $5,000 FSA typically saves roughly $1,100 to $1,500 in federal tax, then adds the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit of $600 to $1,200 and the federal Child Tax Credit of up to $2,000 per child on top, per Internal Revenue Service rules.
A two-income Seville family with a one-year-old in full-time licensed center care spends roughly $1,450 to $1,600 per month, or about $17,400 to $19,200 per year, per the National Database of Childcare Prices for Maricopa County and the Arizona market rate survey.
If the family is income-eligible for Child Care Assistance through the Arizona Department of Economic Security, the cost drops to a sliding-scale copay at a participating provider, though a waitlist may apply.
If the family is over the income limit, the full private rate stands through kindergarten, but a Dependent Care FSA recovers $5,000 in pre-tax savings, the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit recovers another $600 to $1,200, and the federal Child Tax Credit of up to $2,000 per child stacks on top.
Is daycare cheaper in Gilbert than in Scottsdale?
Usually yes. Gilbert's licensed infant care runs roughly $1,150 to $1,600 per month at centers, generally below Scottsdale, which sits at the top of the Arizona market, per the National Database of Childcare Prices for Maricopa County and the Arizona market rate survey. Both share the same state infant ratio and the same DES subsidy and Quality First systems, so household incomes and rents drive the gap.
How do I apply for Arizona child care assistance in Gilbert?
Apply through the Arizona Department of Economic Security, which administers Child Care Assistance under the federal Child Care and Development Fund, per DES. You will need to show work or training activity and income eligibility, choose a certified or licensed provider, and be prepared for a possible waitlist, so apply as early as you can.
Walk through the cost calculator to model your own Gilbert year with the DES subsidy, Quality First scholarships, the FSA, and the federal credits factored in. Read our subsidized daycare guide, the daycare tax credit explainer, and the broader cost pillar. For listings and the full local landscape, see daycare in Gilbert overall, or compare nearby Scottsdale costs.
Areas, listings, licensed sites, and the full Gilbert early-learning landscape.
Read → SubsidiesHow Arizona's DES Child Care Assistance, Quality First, and Head Start work and who qualifies.
Read → ToolModel your Gilbert daycare year with the DES subsidy, the federal credits, and the FSA factored in.
Open →