Study shows Utah has the most stay-at-home parents in U.S.

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah has more stay-at-home-parents than any other state according to a new study. Lendingtree.com reports a major reason is the cost of child care.

Decades ago, having a stay-at-home parent was the norm, but now with costs so high, many Utah families feel stuck. And that price compounds for households with multiple kids.

Utah stay-at-home parents

Hooper mom, Cami Anderson, said her family has dealt with this for years and it’s a problem that many Utah families face.

“If you’re a full-time working parent, what do you do to find a daycare that can accept them? And then you have to figure out how you’re going to pay $1200-1300.”

According to the study, families in the U.S. pay an average of $11,752 a year for child care. 

“But the cost got so crazy when our fourth baby came. It just ended up not working out because of how much money they [charge].”

The data shows 10.7% of American adults are staying home to take care of children, In Utah, that number rises to 26.6% of non-retired parents who are not working in order to take care of children. 

According to Center for American Progress,  77% of Utah residents live in a “child care desert” meaning they lack access to child care.

Anderson said her husband took several years off to take care of their children. Having one parent stay home to care for kids has a lot of benefits however it can have ripple effects when parents re-enter the workforce. 

Anderson said employers were turned off by the five-year gap in her husband’s resume.

“When he went back to work, it was almost difficult to find a job there for a minute. And, he’s a plumber, like they’re all hiring.”

Related reading:

• You could be living in a child care desert. Here’s what that means
• Report shows child care costs can be more expensive than college tuition
• Unaffordable childcare plagues Utah families