Child Care in State Economies (2024) is a three-part series examining the current status of the paid child care industry in the U.S. The reports provide policymakers and other stakeholders with a detailed update on the status of the paid child care industry following unprecedented disruption during the recent COVID-19 public health pandemic. This third report evaluates three broader roles played by the organized child care sector: (1) child care remains a large and productive component of the U.S. economy, providing $68.5 billion in direct revenue and producing substantial economic spillover effects in most sectors of the broader economy; (2) child care continues to play an important role in workforce development policy in the U.S., as organized child care is a critical enabler of workforce participation, allowing parents, particularly mothers, to engage more fully in the labor market; and (3) child care as a source of regional economic growth, with access to child care allowing both greater labor force involvement and increasing private sector activity. The remainder of the report delves deeper into these themes, providing a comprehensive analysis of the economic contributions of the child care sector and its implications for regional development and public policy.