Market rankings · Illinois
Child care centers and preschools in Illinois
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Illinois, ranked by the Groundwork market score for child care centers and preschools, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 2,604
- 348 chain locations (13%)
- Official establishments
- 3,138
- +4.3% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $2.5B
- On child care and other personal services
- Listings per 10k households
- 5.2
- 10% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $946K
- 6% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #30 of 51
- Market score 45 · Lower middle
A site report maps the child care centers and preschools on map listings around any address in Illinois 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
Illinois has 2,604 child care centers and preschools on map listings as of September 2026. Of those, 348 are chain locations, or 13%, against 12% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 5.2, 10% below the U.S. rate of 5.8.
At $489 per household (16% below the U.S. average), households in Illinois spend about $2.5B a year on child care and other personal services. That is about $946K of household spending for each center on map listings, 6% below the U.S. figure of $1M.
Official counts show 3,138 businesses with payroll classed as child care services in Illinois in 2023, up 4.3% from 2019. That is one for every 1,605 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, 230 SBA-backed loans worth $167.5M have gone to businesses classed as child care services in Illinois.
Among the 50 states and DC, Illinois ranks #30 for child care centers and preschools, with a Groundwork market score of 45 (lower middle). Of the 12 scored metro areas in or partly in Illinois, the Bloomington metro area scores highest (58). Of the 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Illinois, the Ottawa area scores highest (71).
Every market in Illinois for child care centers and preschools
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Illinois, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Bloomington, IL | 58 | 31 | 4.4 | $1M | +0.1% | #137 of 387 |
| 2Springfield, IL | 55 | 31 | 3.4 | $1.2M | −1.2% | #160 of 387 |
| 3Rockford, IL | 48 | 57 | 4.2 | $898K | −0.3% | #208 of 387 |
| 4Kankakee, IL | 47 | 18 | 4.4 | $919K | −1.7% | #217 of 387 |
| 5Decatur, IL | 45 | 16 | 3.7 | $952K | −4.3% | #232 of 387 |
| 6Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 43 | 2,035 | 5.6 | $953K | 0.0% | #246 of 387 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 39 | 15 | 3.9 | $915K | +1.7% | #271 of 387 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 38 | 665 | 5.7 | $804K | −0.2% | #280 of 387 |
| 7Peoria, IL | 38 | 91 | 5.9 | $697K | −1.3% | #281 of 387 |
| 8Champaign-Urbana, IL | 37 | 55 | 5.6 | $731K | +1.5% | #283 of 387 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 35 | 89 | 5.5 | $728K | −0.9% | #294 of 387 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | 29 | 24 | 5.8 | $683K | −1.2% | #336 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Ottawa, IL | 71 | 20 | 3.2 | $1.2M | −1.6% | #67 of 454 |
| 2Rochelle, IL | 63 | 10 | 4.8 | $850K | −0.7% | #124 of 454 |
| 3Carbondale, IL | 60 | 6 | 2.6 | $1.2M | −1.5% | #141 of 454 |
| 4Marion-Herrin, IL | 60 | 12 | 4.1 | $874K | +0.2% | #146 of 454 |
| 5Quincy, IL-MO | 46 | 18 | 5.8 | $601K | −2.0% | #271 of 454 |
| 6Dixon, IL | 43 | 7 | 5.2 | $725K | −3.4% | #289 of 454 |
| 7Taylorville, IL | 43 | 7 | 5.2 | $652K | −1.5% | #294 of 454 |
| 8Danville, IL | 42 | 11 | 3.7 | $864K | −3.7% | #300 of 454 |
| 9Charleston-Mattoon, IL | 35 | 9 | 4.3 | $735K | −1.0% | #350 of 454 |
| Burlington, IA-IL | 35 | 11 | 5.5 | $593K | −2.5% | #353 of 454 |
| 10Effingham, IL | 34 | 13 | 7.2 | $552K | −0.9% | #359 of 454 |
| 11Jacksonville, IL | 34 | 10 | 6.6 | $537K | −3.1% | #361 of 454 |
| 12Freeport, IL | 30 | 9 | 4.6 | $709K | −3.0% | #379 of 454 |
| 13Sterling, IL | 30 | 16 | 6.9 | $494K | −2.6% | #381 of 454 |
| 14Centralia, IL | 19 | 10 | 6.4 | $496K | −3.4% | #424 of 454 |
| Galesburg, IL | Not scored | 4 | 1.9 | $1.6M | −4.1% | |
| Mount Vernon, IL | Not scored | 4 | 2.7 | $1.2M | −2.3% | |
| Pontiac, IL | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $2.8M | −2.1% | |
| Canton, IL | Not scored | 4 | 2.9 | $1.1M | −2.0% | |
| Lincoln, IL | Not scored | 3 | 2.7 | $1.3M | −2.5% | |
| Macomb, IL | Not scored | 3 | 2.5 | $1.2M | −4.5% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Grundy County, IL | 77 | 8 | 3.9 | $1.3M | +2.9% | #130 of 1,611 |
| 2Boone County, IL | 72 | 7 | 3.6 | $1.3M | +0.4% | #212 of 1,611 |
| 3Kane County, IL | 68 | 100 | 5.4 | $1.1M | +1.8% | #316 of 1,611 |
| 4McHenry County, IL | 66 | 59 | 5.0 | $1.1M | +2.5% | #363 of 1,611 |
| 5Will County, IL | 64 | 149 | 6.1 | $970K | +2.2% | #432 of 1,611 |
| 6McLean County, IL | 61 | 31 | 4.4 | $1M | +0.1% | #513 of 1,611 |
| 7Kendall County, IL | 60 | 37 | 8.2 | $710K | +9.9% | #560 of 1,611 |
| 8Sangamon County, IL | 59 | 30 | 3.5 | $1.2M | −1.0% | #566 of 1,611 |
| 9Madison County, IL | 59 | 43 | 3.9 | $1.1M | −1.0% | #568 of 1,611 |
| 10LaSalle County, IL | 59 | 18 | 4.0 | $986K | −1.5% | #574 of 1,611 |
| 11DuPage County, IL | 58 | 204 | 5.8 | $1.1M | +0.3% | #600 of 1,611 |
| 12DeKalb County, IL | 58 | 19 | 4.8 | $858K | +1.5% | #613 of 1,611 |
| 13Jackson County, IL | 57 | 6 | 2.6 | $1.2M | −1.5% | #622 of 1,611 |
| 14Ogle County, IL | 55 | 10 | 4.8 | $850K | −0.7% | #691 of 1,611 |
| 15Kankakee County, IL | 52 | 18 | 4.4 | $919K | −1.7% | #768 of 1,611 |
| 16Williamson County, IL | 52 | 12 | 4.1 | $874K | +0.2% | #771 of 1,611 |
| 17Winnebago County, IL | 52 | 50 | 4.3 | $844K | −0.4% | #773 of 1,611 |
| 18Macoupin County, IL | 51 | 7 | 4.0 | $984K | −2.6% | #792 of 1,611 |
| 19Macon County, IL | 51 | 16 | 3.7 | $952K | −4.3% | #793 of 1,611 |
| 20Lake County, IL | 50 | 170 | 6.6 | $980K | +0.8% | #813 of 1,611 |
| 21Tazewell County, IL | 49 | 30 | 5.6 | $744K | −0.9% | #857 of 1,611 |
| 22Champaign County, IL | 48 | 47 | 5.5 | $743K | +1.8% | #879 of 1,611 |
| 23Monroe County, IL | 46 | 8 | 5.8 | $965K | −0.3% | #918 of 1,611 |
| 24Woodford County, IL | 45 | 10 | 6.8 | $732K | −0.8% | #959 of 1,611 |
| 25Henry County, IL | 44 | 8 | 3.9 | $991K | −2.2% | #970 of 1,611 |
Show all 102 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Cook County, IL | 44 | 1,127 | 5.4 | $942K | −1.3% | #971 of 1,611 |
| 27Peoria County, IL | 42 | 51 | 6.6 | $612K | −1.6% | #1,050 of 1,611 |
| 28Vermilion County, IL | 40 | 11 | 3.7 | $864K | −3.7% | #1,093 of 1,611 |
| 29St. Clair County, IL | 40 | 56 | 5.6 | $758K | −2.5% | #1,098 of 1,611 |
| 30Piatt County, IL | 40 | 5 | 7.2 | $654K | +0.6% | #1,107 of 1,611 |
| 31Christian County, IL | 38 | 7 | 5.2 | $652K | −1.5% | #1,150 of 1,611 |
| 32Adams County, IL | 38 | 17 | 6.1 | $577K | −2.1% | #1,153 of 1,611 |
| 33Clinton County, IL | 37 | 8 | 5.5 | $802K | +0.6% | #1,159 of 1,611 |
| 34Lee County, IL | 36 | 7 | 5.2 | $725K | −3.4% | #1,179 of 1,611 |
| 35Rock Island County, IL | 34 | 30 | 4.9 | $745K | −1.7% | #1,239 of 1,611 |
| 36Franklin County, IL | 32 | 8 | 5.0 | $624K | −2.1% | #1,294 of 1,611 |
| 37Coles County, IL | 31 | 9 | 4.3 | $735K | −1.0% | #1,306 of 1,611 |
| 38Whiteside County, IL | 27 | 16 | 6.9 | $494K | −2.6% | #1,393 of 1,611 |
| 39Effingham County, IL | 27 | 12 | 8.6 | $477K | −0.5% | #1,394 of 1,611 |
| 40Morgan County, IL | 26 | 9 | 6.9 | $517K | −2.9% | #1,410 of 1,611 |
| 41Stephenson County, IL | 22 | 9 | 4.6 | $709K | −3.0% | #1,448 of 1,611 |
| 42White County, IL | 18 | 5 | 8.8 | $352K | −4.0% | #1,521 of 1,611 |
| 43Marion County, IL | 17 | 10 | 6.4 | $496K | −3.4% | #1,525 of 1,611 |
| Knox County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 1.9 | $1.6M | −4.1% | |
| Jefferson County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 2.7 | $1.2M | −2.3% | |
| Livingston County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $2.8M | −2.1% | |
| Fulton County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 2.9 | $1.1M | −2.0% | |
| Bureau County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 1.4 | $2.5M | −2.1% | |
| Randolph County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 3.3 | $1M | −0.6% | |
| Montgomery County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 3.5 | $974K | −0.6% | |
| Logan County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 2.7 | $1.3M | −2.5% | |
| McDonough County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 2.5 | $1.2M | −4.5% | |
| Iroquois County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 2.6 | $1.3M | −3.0% | |
| Saline County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 4.0 | $818K | −4.1% | |
| Jo Daviess County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 1.9 | $2.1M | −2.2% | |
| Fayette County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 3.8 | $858K | −3.2% | |
| Jersey County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $3.4M | −1.5% | |
| Shelby County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 3.4 | $1M | −1.6% | |
| Perry County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $2.6M | −3.5% | |
| Douglas County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $2.9M | +0.5% | |
| Crawford County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $2.8M | +0.1% | |
| Hancock County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $2.6M | −4.4% | |
| Union County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 4.4 | $744K | −3.7% | |
| Bond County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 4.9 | $714K | +0.6% | |
| Edgar County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 2.6 | $1.2M | −2.9% | |
| Warren County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 4.4 | $806K | −3.6% | |
| Wayne County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 2.9 | $1M | −1.6% | |
| Richland County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 4.7 | $674K | −3.7% | |
| Carroll County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 1.5 | $2.1M | −1.7% | |
| Mercer County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 6.1 | $656K | −2.6% | |
| De Witt County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 4.5 | $786K | −2.1% | |
| Clark County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 3.1 | $1.1M | −2.2% | |
| Lawrence County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 3.7 | $903K | −9.7% | |
| Pike County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 6.7 | $465K | −2.8% | |
| Moultrie County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $2.1M | −0.8% | |
| Massac County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 5.5 | $577K | −4.5% | |
| Washington County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $2.2M | −1.2% | |
| Ford County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 5.1 | $662K | −2.2% | |
| Johnson County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 2.4 | $1.4M | +0.4% | |
| Clay County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −3.6% | |
| Cass County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.0% | |
| Mason County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 6.9 | $472K | −4.9% | |
| Menard County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 1.9 | $2.1M | −3.3% | |
| Greene County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 4.5 | $800K | −5.1% | |
| Marshall County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.0% | |
| Wabash County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 4.2 | $787K | −3.6% | |
| Cumberland County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 2.4 | $1.5M | −2.1% | |
| Jasper County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.4% | |
| Hamilton County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 3.0 | $1.2M | −1.7% | |
| Schuyler County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 7.3 | $424K | −3.0% | |
| Brown County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 4.9 | $643K | +2.7% | |
| Henderson County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.6% | |
| Edwards County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 7.5 | $411K | −5.0% | |
| Putnam County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.1% | |
| Stark County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.2% | |
| Pulaski County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 5.2 | $479K | −6.9% | |
| Scott County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 4.9 | $713K | −4.0% | |
| Alexander County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 5.3 | $591K | −11.6% | |
| Gallatin County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −6.4% | |
| Calhoun County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.2% | |
| Pope County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.2% | |
| Hardin County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.8% |
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 Illinois?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 2,604 child care centers and preschools in Illinois. 348 of them (13%) are chain locations. The listings count day care centers and preschools. Official counts show 3,138 businesses with payroll classed as child care services in 2023, up 4.3% from 2019. Official counts also show 27,454 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in Illinois spend on child care and other personal services?
About $2.5B a year, or $489 per household. That is 16% below the U.S. average (an index of 84, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 2,604 child care centers and preschools on map listings, it comes to $946K per center. It is estimated from the incomes of the 5,036,449 households in Illinois and national spending patterns by income.
How does Illinois compare with the U.S. for child care centers and preschools?
Illinois has 5.2 child care centers and preschools per 10,000 households, 10% below the U.S. rate of 5.8. Spending per center is $946K, 6% below the U.S. figure of $1M. At the U.S. ratio of child care centers and preschools to household spending, Illinois would have about 2,458, against 2,604 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,605 households, against one for every 1,573 across the U.S. The official count rose 4.3% from 2019 to 2023, against +5.7% for the U.S.
Which market in Illinois has the highest market score for child care centers and preschools?
Among 12 scored metro areas in or partly in Illinois, the Bloomington metro area scores highest, at 58 (upper middle). Among 15 scored small-town markets in or partly in Illinois, the Ottawa area scores highest, at 71 (upper middle). Among 43 scored counties in Illinois, Grundy County scores highest, at 77 (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. Illinois scores 45 for child care centers and preschools (lower middle), #30 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 Illinois. 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
- Alabama
- Alaska
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- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
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- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
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- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for child care centers and preschools across the U.S. · All business types in Illinois
Screening a site or an acquisition in Illinois?
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.