Market rankings · Colorado
Child care centers and preschools in Colorado
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Colorado, ranked by the Groundwork market score for child care centers and preschools, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 1,192
- 199 chain locations (17%)
- Official establishments
- 1,239
- +8.2% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $2B
- On child care and other personal services
- Listings per 10k households
- 5.0
- 14% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $1.6M
- 63% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #3 of 51
- Market score 87 · High
A site report maps the child care centers and preschools on map listings around any address in Colorado by name and distance, and the spending within reach.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Colorado has 1,192 child care centers and preschools on map listings as of September 2026. Of those, 199 are chain locations, or 17%, against 12% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 5.0, 14% below the U.S. rate of 5.8.
At $822 per household (42% above the U.S. average), households in Colorado spend about $2B a year on child care and other personal services. That is about $1.6M of household spending for each center on map listings, 63% above the U.S. figure of $1M.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as child care services in Colorado was 1,239 in 2023, up 8.2% from 2019. That is one for every 1,916 households, against one for every 1,573 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 5.7% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 103 SBA-backed loans worth $136.5M have gone to businesses classed as child care services in Colorado.
Among the 50 states and DC, Colorado ranks #3 for child care centers and preschools, with a Groundwork market score of 87 (high). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Colorado, the Denver-Aurora-Centennial metro area scores highest (85). Of the 10 scored small-town markets in or partly in Colorado, the Cañon City area scores highest (80).
Every market in Colorado for child care centers and preschools
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Colorado, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.
Metro areas
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 85 | 617 | 5.1 | $1.8M | +4.1% | #10 of 387 |
| 2Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 85 | 83 | 5.4 | $1.5M | +4.8% | #12 of 387 |
| 3Greeley, CO | 82 | 63 | 5.1 | $1.5M | +14.2% | #15 of 387 |
| 4Pueblo, CO | 78 | 17 | 2.5 | $2.2M | +0.6% | #25 of 387 |
| 5Colorado Springs, CO | 75 | 128 | 4.2 | $1.8M | +3.1% | #32 of 387 |
| 6Grand Junction, CO | 68 | 24 | 3.6 | $1.7M | +4.4% | #64 of 387 |
| 7Boulder, CO | 62 | 99 | 7.2 | $1.3M | −0.7% | #98 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Cañon City, CO | 80 | 6 | 3.3 | $1.5M | +2.4% | #19 of 454 |
| 2Montrose, CO | 79 | 10 | 5.5 | $1M | +4.1% | #22 of 454 |
| 3Durango, CO | 75 | 8 | 3.3 | $2.2M | +2.2% | #39 of 454 |
| 4Rifle, CO | 72 | 13 | 4.0 | $2M | +1.2% | #57 of 454 |
| 5Breckenridge, CO | 66 | 10 | 6.4 | $1.5M | +1.1% | #102 of 454 |
| 6Steamboat Springs, CO | 62 | 14 | 8.4 | $953K | +0.9% | #129 of 454 |
| 7Fort Morgan, CO | 61 | 9 | 8.1 | $636K | +4.2% | #140 of 454 |
| 8Alamosa, CO | 59 | 5 | 4.4 | $1M | +2.1% | #154 of 454 |
| 9Edwards, CO | 56 | 16 | 7.3 | $1.3M | −2.4% | #176 of 454 |
| 10Sterling, CO | 32 | 7 | 8.5 | $536K | −2.7% | #370 of 454 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Broomfield County, CO | 91 | 15 | 4.7 | $2.2M | +6.3% | #10 of 1,611 |
| 2Adams County, CO | 90 | 78 | 4.1 | $1.9M | +6.6% | #15 of 1,611 |
| 3Douglas County, CO | 88 | 104 | 7.4 | $1.6M | +10.9% | #21 of 1,611 |
| 4Larimer County, CO | 84 | 83 | 5.4 | $1.5M | +4.8% | #47 of 1,611 |
| 5Denver County, CO | 83 | 145 | 4.3 | $2M | +3.2% | #51 of 1,611 |
| 6Weld County, CO | 83 | 63 | 5.1 | $1.5M | +14.2% | #54 of 1,611 |
| 7Arapahoe County, CO | 81 | 136 | 5.3 | $1.6M | +2.8% | #68 of 1,611 |
| 8Pueblo County, CO | 79 | 17 | 2.5 | $2.2M | +0.6% | #91 of 1,611 |
| 9Teller County, CO | 79 | 6 | 5.1 | $1.3M | 0.0% | #100 of 1,611 |
| 10Delta County, CO | 78 | 5 | 3.9 | $1.3M | +3.6% | #117 of 1,611 |
| 11El Paso County, CO | 77 | 122 | 4.2 | $1.8M | +3.2% | #125 of 1,611 |
| 12Fremont County, CO | 76 | 6 | 3.3 | $1.5M | +2.4% | #139 of 1,611 |
| 13Montrose County, CO | 75 | 10 | 5.5 | $1M | +4.1% | #163 of 1,611 |
| 14Jefferson County, CO | 73 | 137 | 5.7 | $1.6M | −0.5% | #187 of 1,611 |
| 15Garfield County, CO | 73 | 12 | 5.1 | $1.4M | +2.7% | #190 of 1,611 |
| 16La Plata County, CO | 71 | 8 | 3.3 | $2.2M | +2.2% | #226 of 1,611 |
| 17Mesa County, CO | 70 | 24 | 3.6 | $1.7M | +4.4% | #249 of 1,611 |
| 18Boulder County, CO | 64 | 99 | 7.2 | $1.3M | −0.7% | #418 of 1,611 |
| 19Summit County, CO | 62 | 8 | 6.4 | $1.5M | +0.9% | #471 of 1,611 |
| 20Gunnison County, CO | 61 | 6 | 7.1 | $998K | +2.9% | #518 of 1,611 |
| 21Routt County, CO | 56 | 11 | 9.8 | $951K | +2.0% | #661 of 1,611 |
| 22Eagle County, CO | 53 | 16 | 7.3 | $1.3M | −2.4% | #739 of 1,611 |
| 23Montezuma County, CO | 52 | 8 | 7.1 | $757K | +3.0% | #776 of 1,611 |
| 24Morgan County, CO | 51 | 9 | 8.1 | $636K | +4.2% | #807 of 1,611 |
| 25Logan County, CO | 26 | 7 | 8.5 | $536K | −2.7% | #1,408 of 1,611 |
Show all 64 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elbert County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +16.5% | |
| Chaffee County, CO | Not scored | 4 | 4.1 | $1.7M | +6.9% | |
| Otero County, CO | Not scored | 4 | 5.3 | $801K | −5.2% | |
| Park County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.1% | |
| Pitkin County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $8.4M | −4.2% | |
| Alamosa County, CO | Not scored | 4 | 6.0 | $765K | +1.9% | |
| Grand County, CO | Not scored | 3 | 4.0 | $1.8M | +4.8% | |
| Las Animas County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 1.5 | $2.9M | −0.7% | |
| Archuleta County, CO | Not scored | 2 | 3.4 | $1.9M | +6.6% | |
| Moffat County, CO | Not scored | 3 | 5.6 | $958K | −1.1% | |
| Prowers County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 2.1 | $2.3M | −1.1% | |
| Rio Grande County, CO | Not scored | 2 | 3.9 | $1.4M | −3.9% | |
| Yuma County, CO | Not scored | 2 | 4.9 | $1.1M | −0.8% | |
| Clear Creek County, CO | Not scored | 2 | 4.3 | $2.1M | −3.9% | |
| San Miguel County, CO | Not scored | 5 | 10.9 | $760K | −3.7% | |
| Conejos County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 3.2 | $1.4M | +1.0% | |
| Lake County, CO | Not scored | 2 | 6.6 | $1.1M | +1.9% | |
| Kit Carson County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 3.5 | $1.6M | +0.1% | |
| Huerfano County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 3.2 | $1.4M | +2.7% | |
| Saguache County, CO | Not scored | 3 | 8.8 | $531K | +5.3% | |
| Rio Blanco County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 3.6 | $1.3M | +2.5% | |
| Gilpin County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +4.4% | |
| Crowley County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 7.5 | $527K | −0.5% | |
| Lincoln County, CO | Not scored | 2 | 10.1 | $504K | −0.4% | |
| Bent County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +4.5% | |
| Custer County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +18.3% | |
| Ouray County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +7.9% | |
| Washington County, CO | Not scored | 2 | 9.7 | $552K | −1.6% | |
| Phillips County, CO | Not scored | 2 | 10.2 | $658K | −2.4% | |
| Costilla County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.1% | |
| Baca County, CO | Not scored | 3 | 18.1 | $228K | −3.8% | |
| Dolores County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 8.0 | $803K | +5.8% | |
| Sedgwick County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 9.8 | $450K | −6.0% | |
| Cheyenne County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.9% | |
| Kiowa County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.8% | |
| Jackson County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −12.2% | |
| Hinsdale County, CO | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.6% | |
| Mineral County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 25.9 | $202K | +4.6% | |
| San Juan County, CO | Not scored | 1 | 25.1 | $214K | +14.5% |
Markets with fewer than 5 child care centers and preschools on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many child care centers and preschools are in Colorado?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 1,192 child care centers and preschools in Colorado. 199 of them (17%) are chain locations. The listings count day care centers and preschools. Official counts show 1,239 businesses with payroll classed as child care services in 2023, up 8.2% from 2019. Another 7,053 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Colorado spend on child care and other personal services?
About $2B a year, or $822 per household. That is 42% above the U.S. average (an index of 142, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,192 child care centers and preschools on map listings, it comes to $1.6M per center. It is estimated from the incomes of the 2,374,218 households in Colorado and national spending patterns by income.
How does Colorado compare with the U.S. for child care centers and preschools?
Colorado has 5.0 child care centers and preschools per 10,000 households, 14% below the U.S. rate of 5.8. Spending per center is $1.6M, 63% above the U.S. figure of $1M. At the U.S. ratio of child care centers and preschools to household spending, Colorado would have about 1,948, against 1,192 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,916 households, against one for every 1,573 across the U.S. The official count rose 8.2% from 2019 to 2023, against +5.7% for the U.S.
Which market in Colorado has the highest market score for child care centers and preschools?
Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Colorado, the Denver-Aurora-Centennial metro area scores highest, at 85 (high). Among 10 scored small-town markets in or partly in Colorado, the Cañon City area scores highest, at 80 (high). Among 25 scored counties in Colorado, Broomfield County scores highest, at 91 (very high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Colorado scores 87 for child care centers and preschools (high), #3 of the 50 states and DC.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Colorado. It maps the child care centers and preschools on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
Child care and preschools in other states
All 51 states
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Top markets for child care centers and preschools across the U.S. · All business types in Colorado
Screening a site or an acquisition in Colorado?
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This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.