San Francisco to make childcare free for families earning up to $230,000

"San Francisco will offer free childcare to families earning less than $230,000 a year, and a 50% subsidy to those earning up to $310,000, in an expansion of the city's childcare offerings designed to make one of the world's most expensive cities more affordable for residents. San Francisco's mayor, Daniel Lurie, announced the initiative as part of his Family Opportunity Agenda on Wednesday, alongside a package of housing, education, food, healthcare, transportation and other programs focused on affordability."

"While many cities calculate eligibility for benefits based on national federal poverty guidelines, San Francisco generally uses area median income to calculate the cost of living. In 2025, the federal poverty level nationwide was $32,150 for a family of four, while the area median income for a family of four in San Francisco was $155,850. San Francisco's measure will make childcare free for a family of four making less than $230,000 a year, or 150% of the area median income, and offer a 50% subsidy to families earning less than $310,000 a year, or 200% of the area median income."

San Francisco will provide free childcare to families earning less than $230,000 annually and a 50% subsidy to families earning up to $310,000. The program is part of a Family Opportunity Agenda that includes housing, education, food, healthcare, transportation, and other affordability measures. The subsidies are expected to reduce household costs by tens of thousands of dollars per year and help families stay and grow in the city. Other jurisdictions are expanding childcare access, including New York City and New Mexico. San Francisco uses area median income for eligibility; the 2025 AMI for a family of four was $155,850 versus a $32,150 federal poverty level.

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