OMAHA, Neb.—A new poll of Republican likely voters in Nebraska shows an overwhelming majority feel child care is essential for working families and a strong economy, but finding affordable, reliable child care remains a serious challenge in communities across the state.
In June, the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska partnered with the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C. to conduct a Nebraska oversample of their national survey of 1,200 Republican voters. The purpose was to better understand what Midwesterners think about child care as a voter issue going into the 2026 midterm elections.
Respondents, including parents and business owners, shared their thoughts on the cost of child care; its impact on families, workforce participation, and businesses; and who should bear the cost of making child care more accessible.
Nearly 83.5% of Nebraskans surveyed agreed that child care plays a critical economic role, allowing parents to work while their children are cared for in safe, educationally enriching environments.
But 75% of Nebraska voters said accessing child care is a serious challenge for the families they know—and the share was even higher among parents (83%) and business owners (80%). Nearly 53% cited child care costs as the biggest barrier.
In Nebraska, parents annually pay an average of $14,100 for child care for one infant, or nearly $12,000 for a 4-year-old.
That’s if they can find quality care—a recent analysis by the Buffett Institute found that Nebraska needs roughly 17,500 more child care spaces to meet potential need. Ten rural counties in the state have no licensed child care providers.
Child care is a fundamental need nationwide and in Nebraska, where unemployment is low and nearly two-thirds of children live in households where all adults work. While costs are high for parents, child care providers face high staff turnover caused by low pay, lack of benefits, and slim profit margins. The Buffett Institute, among many others, has continued to call attention to the “broken business model” of child care.
“We need innovative solutions and public-private partnerships at the federal, state, and local levels to increase the number of child care spots, improve pay and benefits for the early childhood workforce, and decrease costs for families who may spend thousands of dollars each month on care for their young children,” said Walter Gilliam, the executive director of the Buffett Early Childhood Institute.
Much of the Nebraska data aligns with national findings, where 90% of surveyed Republican voters called child care critical to families and the economy. In some instances, Nebraska voter sentiment exceeded the national results—79% of Nebraskans believe parents use child care so they can work full-time, compared to 67% of national voters.
More Nebraska results:
- 69% of respondents are concerned that a lack of affordable child care could make it harder for families to make ends meet
- 57% said reliable child care for workers can help attract or retain local businesses
- 45% experienced or knew someone who experienced work disruptions—quitting, cutting hours, turning down a job—due to a lack of child care
- 58% believe Congress should help reduce child care costs for families
In a strong statement of support, 58.5% of Republican voters agreed that making child care more affordable is a pro-family, pro-worker government policy.
“Voters across Nebraska and the United States recognize that child care helps keep employers and the economy running, but it is too expensive and too scarce for many families,” said Linda Smith, the Buffett Institute’s director of policy. “States like Michigan, Montana, and Kentucky are leading the way by creating innovative programs and devoting funding to address these longstanding challenges.”
The survey was conducted by the Washington, D.C.-based polling firm Cygnal in June 2025.