The town of Vienna, VA, is located 14 miles West of Washington, DC. It's home to 16,300 residents and was ranked by CNN/Money and Money magazine as 3rd in the "100 best places to live in the United States." Vienna is an affluent town, and the average cost of daycare is, therefore, higher than in neighboring cities such as
Fairfax or
Springfield, and 54% higher than the State's average. The average cost for full-time infant care in Vienna is $21,840 per year in a
daycare center ($420 per week) and $16,900 in a
home daycare ($325 per week). For a 4-year-old child, the price for full-time care varies between $12,690 and $15,965 per year, in a center and home, respectively. Child care costs are the highest for infants due to the lower teacher-to-child ratio (i.e., one adult can care for more preschoolers than babies). To find the average cost of child care in your zip code and for your child's age, click here to use our
daycare cost calculator.
There are 72 child care and preschool programs in Vienna, including 17 licensed daycare centers and 55 home daycares (29 with a Fairfax County Permit and 26 with a State License). A County Permit is required to provide regular care for up to four non-resident children. Providers caring more than four non-resident children must have a State License. The County Permit and State License are mandated by Fairfax County's Office for Children (OFC) and the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS), respectively. It's unlawful in Vienna (and Fairfax County) to provide regular child care services to non-resident children without one of these two authorizations. Families must be informed in writing if the facility does not meet the legal requirements for their business.
Running a child care business involves careful planning and preparation. While it does take work for early childhood educators to meet the stringent rules of a permit or license, this higher level of commitment typically translates into more customers. Parents are indeed more inclined to enroll in regulated child care or preschool program, the OFC and VDSS conduct on-site inspections. These announced and unannounced visits are meant to ensure that everything is within legal requirements and standards. Authorized local agencies also conduct on-site health and safety inspections.
The town of Vienna offers excellent opportunities for professionals. Top employers are in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services, and the median household income is $143,200, which is 25% more than the average in Fairfax County and more than double the state average. Families consider different criteria in choosing a child care program. Low-income families who qualify for Child Care Assistance may enroll in one of the seven facilities that accept vouchers. There are eleven all-inclusive daycares where children with special needs or disabilities will thrive, and Vienna also has 11 facilities with before and after school care. Families who are deeply rooted in their religious beliefs and practices will consider one of the five Faith-Based religious daycares. For those who want children to learn a foreign language or culture, the six bilingual or language immersion daycares will be a good option.