Market rankings · Idaho
Child care centers and preschools in Idaho
Markets across Idaho ranked by the Groundwork market score for child care centers and preschools, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 476
- 40 chain locations (8%)
- Official establishments
- 504
- +16.1% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $447.3M
- On child care and other personal services
- Listings per 10k households
- 6.7
- 16% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $940K
- 6% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #18 of 51
- Market score 61 · Upper middle
A site report maps the child care centers and preschools on map listings around any address in Idaho 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
As of September 2026, map listings count 476 child care centers and preschools in Idaho. Chain locations make up 8% of them, against 12% across the U.S. That comes to 6.7 for every 10,000 households, 16% above the U.S. rate of 5.8.
At $627 per household (8% above the U.S. average), households in Idaho spend about $447.3M a year on child care and other personal services. Spread across 476 child care centers and preschools, that is $940K per center, 6% below the U.S. figure of $1M.
In 2023, official counts showed 504 businesses with payroll in Idaho classed as child care services, up 16.1% from 2019. That is one for every 1,415 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, 43 SBA-backed loans worth $22.3M have gone to businesses classed as child care services in Idaho.
Among the 50 states and DC, Idaho ranks #18 for child care centers and preschools, with a Groundwork market score of 61 (upper middle). Of the 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Idaho, the Boise City metro area scores highest (66). Of the 10 scored small-town markets in or partly in Idaho, the Rexburg area scores highest (79).
Every market in Idaho for child care centers and preschools
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Idaho, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Boise City, ID | 66 | 214 | 7.0 | $994K | +12.2% | #81 of 387 |
| 2Idaho Falls, ID | 61 | 36 | 6.5 | $971K | +9.8% | #112 of 387 |
| 3Coeur d’Alene, ID | 57 | 52 | 7.3 | $867K | +11.0% | #150 of 387 |
| 4Twin Falls, ID | 49 | 31 | 7.2 | $758K | +8.1% | #203 of 387 |
| 5Pocatello, ID | 47 | 20 | 6.0 | $909K | +4.9% | #218 of 387 |
| Logan, UT-ID | 44 | 42 | 8.5 | $751K | +8.8% | #243 of 387 |
| 6Lewiston, ID-WA | 33 | 20 | 7.5 | $785K | +1.5% | #309 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Rexburg, ID | 79 | 10 | 5.6 | $913K | +4.5% | #25 of 454 |
| 2Blackfoot, ID | 78 | 9 | 5.6 | $1.1M | +6.4% | #29 of 454 |
| Brigham City, UT-ID | 73 | 13 | 6.1 | $1M | +12.6% | #55 of 454 |
| 3Burley, ID | 72 | 6 | 3.6 | $1.5M | +6.2% | #58 of 454 |
| Jackson, WY-ID | 69 | 11 | 7.6 | $1.4M | +4.2% | #78 of 454 |
| 4Hailey, ID | 69 | 8 | 6.3 | $1.1M | +6.1% | #81 of 454 |
| 5Sandpoint, ID | 66 | 13 | 6.4 | $908K | +14.8% | #110 of 454 |
| 6Moscow, ID | 59 | 11 | 6.8 | $800K | +5.6% | #160 of 454 |
| 7Mountain Home, ID | 48 | 8 | 7.2 | $689K | +2.8% | #245 of 454 |
| Ontario, OR-ID | 43 | 21 | 10.5 | $462K | +5.0% | #298 of 454 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Bingham County, ID | 74 | 9 | 5.6 | $1.1M | +6.4% | #183 of 1,611 |
| 2Jefferson County, ID | 73 | 6 | 5.9 | $1.1M | +13.6% | #201 of 1,611 |
| 3Ada County, ID | 70 | 151 | 7.5 | $1M | +9.6% | #263 of 1,611 |
| 4Canyon County, ID | 68 | 51 | 5.9 | $962K | +18.1% | #321 of 1,611 |
| 5Kootenai County, ID | 63 | 52 | 7.3 | $867K | +11.0% | #466 of 1,611 |
| 6Bonneville County, ID | 62 | 30 | 6.8 | $935K | +8.9% | #488 of 1,611 |
| 7Bonner County, ID | 61 | 13 | 6.4 | $908K | +14.8% | #525 of 1,611 |
| 8Madison County, ID | 60 | 10 | 7.5 | $670K | +4.2% | #561 of 1,611 |
| 9Blaine County, ID | 58 | 8 | 7.7 | $970K | +4.8% | #607 of 1,611 |
| 10Bannock County, ID | 53 | 20 | 6.0 | $909K | +4.9% | #745 of 1,611 |
| 11Cassia County, ID | 53 | 5 | 5.9 | $902K | +6.6% | #746 of 1,611 |
| 12Twin Falls County, ID | 52 | 28 | 8.1 | $672K | +7.9% | #780 of 1,611 |
| 13Latah County, ID | 51 | 11 | 6.8 | $800K | +5.6% | #800 of 1,611 |
| 14Gem County, ID | 51 | 7 | 9.2 | $598K | +13.0% | #809 of 1,611 |
| 15Payette County, ID | 40 | 11 | 11.3 | $457K | +8.8% | #1,119 of 1,611 |
| 16Nez Perce County, ID | 39 | 14 | 8.1 | $701K | +1.8% | #1,127 of 1,611 |
| 17Elmore County, ID | 38 | 8 | 7.2 | $689K | +2.8% | #1,147 of 1,611 |
| 18Idaho County, ID | 35 | 7 | 10.3 | $468K | +7.7% | #1,233 of 1,611 |
| Jerome County, ID | Not scored | 3 | 3.6 | $1.6M | +8.6% | |
| Minidoka County, ID | Not scored | 1 | 1.2 | $4.3M | +5.7% | |
| Gooding County, ID | Not scored | 3 | 5.3 | $891K | +5.1% | |
| Franklin County, ID | Not scored | 1 | 2.0 | $3M | +11.2% | |
| Fremont County, ID | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.9% | |
| Shoshone County, ID | Not scored | 2 | 3.5 | $1.2M | +7.1% | |
| Boundary County, ID | Not scored | 2 | 4.0 | $1.4M | +15.3% |
Show all 44 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owyhee County, ID | Not scored | 3 | 6.9 | $688K | +5.6% | |
| Teton County, ID | Not scored | 1 | 2.1 | $3.9M | +12.9% | |
| Valley County, ID | Not scored | 1 | 2.3 | $2.8M | +8.4% | |
| Washington County, ID | Not scored | 2 | 4.8 | $966K | +9.7% | |
| Benewah County, ID | Not scored | 2 | 4.9 | $994K | +9.7% | |
| Clearwater County, ID | Not scored | 2 | 5.5 | $866K | +4.1% | |
| Boise County, ID | Not scored | 2 | 5.6 | $993K | +11.5% | |
| Lemhi County, ID | Not scored | 3 | 8.7 | $542K | +6.5% | |
| Power County, ID | Not scored | 1 | 3.6 | $1.3M | +4.6% | |
| Caribou County, ID | Not scored | 2 | 8.1 | $599K | +3.4% | |
| Bear Lake County, ID | Not scored | 1 | 4.4 | $1.2M | +5.7% | |
| Lincoln County, ID | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +9.1% | |
| Oneida County, ID | Not scored | 2 | 10.4 | $549K | +11.4% | |
| Adams County, ID | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +13.3% | |
| Custer County, ID | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +8.6% | |
| Lewis County, ID | Not scored | 1 | 6.4 | $643K | +4.8% | |
| Butte County, ID | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +7.8% | |
| Camas County, ID | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +21.7% | |
| Clark County, ID | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.0% |
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 Idaho?
Idaho has 476 child care centers and preschools on map listings as of September 2026. 40 of them (8%) are chain locations. The listings count day care centers and preschools. Official counts show 504 businesses with payroll classed as child care services in 2023, up 16.1% from 2019. Another 1,811 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Idaho spend on child care and other personal services?
About $447.3M a year, or $627 per household. That is 8% above the U.S. average (an index of 108, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 476 child care centers and preschools on map listings, it comes to $940K per center. It is estimated from the incomes of the 713,005 households in Idaho and national spending patterns by income.
How does Idaho compare with the U.S. for child care centers and preschools?
Idaho has 6.7 child care centers and preschools per 10,000 households, 16% above the U.S. rate of 5.8. Spending per center is $940K, 6% below the U.S. figure of $1M. At the national ratio of child care centers and preschools to household spending, Idaho would have about 446, against 476 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,415 households, against one for every 1,573 across the U.S. The official count rose 16.1% from 2019 to 2023, against +5.7% for the U.S.
Which market in Idaho has the highest market score for child care centers and preschools?
Among 7 scored metro areas in or partly in Idaho, the Boise City metro area scores highest, at 66 (upper middle). Among 10 scored small-town markets in or partly in Idaho, the Rexburg area scores highest, at 79 (high). Among 18 scored counties in Idaho, Bingham County scores highest, at 74 (upper middle). 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. Idaho scores 61 for child care centers and preschools (upper middle), #18 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 Idaho. 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
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Top markets for child care centers and preschools across the U.S. · All business types in Idaho
Screening a site or an acquisition in Idaho?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
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.