Childcare in Massachusetts, by the numbers.
Massachusetts has 3,013 licensed center programs with 205,378 licensed spots, and 5,841 home daycares.
Source: Child Care Search, Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. Read November 3, 2026, from the state's snapshot of October 2, 2026.
3,013
Licensed center programs
3,020 center licenses
205,378
Licensed spots in centers
About 68 per program
5,841
Home daycares
47,286 spots
111
New center programs
100 closed in the same months
Openings cover October 2025 to September 2026.
Spots for young children, by county
Massachusetts has 59 licensed spots for every 100 children under 5. Darker counties have more.
- Under 25
- 25 to 39
- 40 to 54
- 55 to 69
- 70 or more
See every county as a list
| County | Spots per 100 children under 5 | Children under 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Barnstable County | 56 | 7,762 |
| Berkshire County | 72 | 4,503 |
| Bristol County | 51 | 29,003 |
| Dukes County | 43 | 808 |
| Essex County | 67 | 44,143 |
| Franklin County | 47 | 2,471 |
| Hampden County | 58 | 24,171 |
| Hampshire County | 69 | 4,672 |
| Middlesex County | 66 | 81,084 |
| Nantucket County | 33 | 771 |
| Norfolk County | 66 | 36,097 |
| Plymouth County | 50 | 28,168 |
| Suffolk County | 61 | 38,307 |
| Worcester County | 46 | 45,567 |
The largest counties in Massachusetts
By licensed center programs.
- Middlesex County 812 licensed center programs 66 spots per 100 children under 5
- Norfolk County 398 licensed center programs 66 spots per 100 children under 5
- Essex County 371 licensed center programs 67 spots per 100 children under 5
- Suffolk County 301 licensed center programs 61 spots per 100 children under 5
- Worcester County 276 licensed center programs 46 spots per 100 children under 5
- Bristol County 227 licensed center programs 51 spots per 100 children under 5
- Plymouth County 205 licensed center programs 50 spots per 100 children under 5
- Hampden County 192 licensed center programs 58 spots per 100 children under 5
- Barnstable County 83 licensed center programs 56 spots per 100 children under 5
- Hampshire County 61 licensed center programs 69 spots per 100 children under 5
- Berkshire County 49 licensed center programs 72 spots per 100 children under 5
- Franklin County 24 licensed center programs 47 spots per 100 children under 5
Run a program in Massachusetts? Bloomily handles enrollment, billing, check-in and family messages. See how it works
Getting licensed in Massachusetts
Massachusetts licenses child care centers and family child care homes separately. See the ratios, trainings and checklist the state asks for in our Massachusetts licensing guide.
Opening one? Read how to start a daycare in Massachusetts or how to start a home daycare, step by step.
Plan your program
- Daycare business plan
How to write a plan for funding and licensing.
- Tuition calculator
Typical rates by state and age group.
- Ratio calculator
Staff needed for each age group, by state.
Questions, answered
How many licensed childcare centers are in Massachusetts?
3,013 center programs, holding 3,020 center licenses and 205,378 licensed spots, as of November 3, 2026.
How many home daycares are in Massachusetts?
5,841 home daycares, with 47,286 spots, as of November 3, 2026.
How many childcare centers opened in Massachusetts in the last year?
111 center programs opened at a new address from October 2025 to September 2026. In the same months, 100 addresses closed their last center license.
How many licensed childcare spots are there per child in Massachusetts?
59 licensed spots for every 100 children under 5. The child count is the Census Bureau's estimate for July 1, 2025.
Where can I check a childcare program's license in Massachusetts?
On Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care's public facility search. Search by the program's name, address or license number.
About these numbers
Every license count here comes from the state's monthly program files, read November 3, 2026. The latest snapshot in them is dated October 2, 2026.
A center program is the active center licenses one licensee holds at one address. School-age programs count as centers.
Openings and closings cover October 2025 to September 2026.
An opening is a program first licensed then, at an address with no earlier center license.
A closing is an address whose last center left the state's monthly list in that month.
Home daycares are family child care homes the state lists as active, for up to 10 children.
Children under 5 are the Census Bureau's estimates for July 1, 2025.
Spots for young children leave out school-age licenses and add home daycare spots. Some serve older children.
Each program's county comes from its town, or its ZIP code where the file names a village.
Public and private school programs the state funds but does not license are not counted.
This page is a summary of public records. It is not legal advice, and licenses change every week.
To check one program, search the state's own lookup.
Questions about childcare in Massachusetts?
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