Market rankings · North Carolina
Child care centers and preschools in North Carolina
Every metro area, small-town market and county in North Carolina, ranked by the Groundwork market score for child care centers and preschools, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 2,350
- 304 chain locations (13%)
- Official establishments
- 2,612
- +2.5% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $2B
- On child care and other personal services
- Listings per 10k households
- 5.5
- 5% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $844K
- 16% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #24 of 51
- Market score 53 · Upper middle
A site report maps the child care centers and preschools on map listings around any address in North Carolina 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
There are 2,350 child care centers and preschools on map listings in North Carolina as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 13% of them, against 12% across the U.S. That is 5.5 per 10,000 households, 5% below the U.S. rate of 5.8.
Households in North Carolina spend about $2B a year on child care and other personal services, or $463 per household, 20% below the U.S. average. That is about $844K of household spending for each center on map listings, 16% below the U.S. figure of $1M.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as child care services in North Carolina was 2,612 in 2023, up 2.5% from 2019. That is one for every 1,639 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, 122 SBA-backed loans worth $135.1M have gone to businesses classed as child care services in North Carolina.
Among the 50 states and DC, North Carolina ranks #24 for child care centers and preschools, with a Groundwork market score of 53 (upper middle). Of the 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Wilmington metro area scores highest (73). Of the 23 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Kill Devil Hills area scores highest (75).
Every market in North Carolina for child care centers and preschools
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in North Carolina, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Wilmington, NC | 73 | 90 | 4.5 | $1M | +15.9% | #41 of 387 |
| 2Winston-Salem, NC | 67 | 108 | 3.8 | $1.1M | +5.3% | #73 of 387 |
| 3Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 65 | 570 | 5.3 | $1M | +10.1% | #87 of 387 |
| 4Asheville, NC | 61 | 79 | 4.9 | $917K | +3.6% | #114 of 387 |
| 5Burlington, NC | 59 | 24 | 3.4 | $1.1M | +8.5% | #126 of 387 |
| 6Raleigh-Cary, NC | 58 | 395 | 6.9 | $907K | +12.6% | #142 of 387 |
| 7Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 54 | 61 | 4.1 | $902K | +3.2% | #173 of 387 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 52 | 387 | 5.5 | $925K | +0.9% | #184 of 387 |
| 8Jacksonville, NC | 50 | 33 | 4.4 | $863K | +6.0% | #194 of 387 |
| 9Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 48 | 169 | 6.8 | $822K | +7.5% | #211 of 387 |
| 10Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | 37 | 34 | 7.7 | $655K | +10.3% | #284 of 387 |
| 11Greensboro-High Point, NC | 35 | 183 | 5.8 | $708K | +4.1% | #297 of 387 |
| 12Goldsboro, NC | 31 | 22 | 4.6 | $769K | +3.8% | #325 of 387 |
| 13Rocky Mount, NC | 29 | 26 | 4.4 | $815K | +2.8% | #332 of 387 |
| 14Greenville, NC | 27 | 46 | 6.2 | $610K | +5.4% | #347 of 387 |
| 15Fayetteville, NC | 17 | 106 | 7.1 | $522K | +1.6% | #376 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Kill Devil Hills, NC | 75 | 11 | 6.5 | $832K | +3.3% | #47 of 454 |
| 2Boone, NC | 73 | 8 | 3.8 | $1M | +0.6% | #54 of 454 |
| 3Waynesville, NC | 71 | 6 | 2.2 | $1.7M | +1.9% | #64 of 454 |
| 4Marion, NC | 68 | 6 | 3.2 | $1M | +1.5% | #87 of 454 |
| 5Morehead City, NC | 68 | 17 | 5.3 | $854K | +4.1% | #92 of 454 |
| 6New Bern, NC | 61 | 23 | 4.4 | $855K | +3.6% | #138 of 454 |
| 7Anderson Creek, NC | 60 | 24 | 4.8 | $853K | +12.3% | #150 of 454 |
| 8Brevard, NC | 53 | 10 | 6.9 | $593K | +2.9% | #206 of 454 |
| 9North Wilkesboro, NC | 52 | 8 | 3.0 | $976K | +0.6% | #209 of 454 |
| 10Albemarle, NC | 52 | 12 | 4.8 | $779K | +9.8% | #214 of 454 |
| 11Washington, NC | 51 | 8 | 4.1 | $893K | 0.0% | #223 of 454 |
| 12Wilson, NC | 44 | 18 | 5.4 | $647K | +1.7% | #281 of 454 |
| 13Elizabeth City, NC | 44 | 10 | 6.3 | $598K | +4.5% | #285 of 454 |
| 14Sanford, NC | 44 | 18 | 7.2 | $517K | +10.8% | #287 of 454 |
| 15Forest City, NC | 43 | 12 | 4.5 | $703K | +2.1% | #291 of 454 |
| 16Mount Airy, NC | 42 | 18 | 6.0 | $562K | +1.3% | #306 of 454 |
| 17Shelby-Kings Mountain, NC | 38 | 28 | 7.2 | $487K | +3.4% | #332 of 454 |
| 18Kinston, NC | 27 | 12 | 5.1 | $582K | +1.4% | #396 of 454 |
| 19Henderson, NC | 26 | 10 | 6.2 | $526K | +0.2% | #401 of 454 |
| 20Roanoke Rapids, NC | 22 | 15 | 5.3 | $611K | −4.3% | #416 of 454 |
| 21Lumberton, NC | 20 | 33 | 7.7 | $375K | +3.4% | #423 of 454 |
| 22Laurinburg, NC | 17 | 10 | 7.9 | $404K | −0.3% | #432 of 454 |
| 23Rockingham, NC | 16 | 12 | 7.0 | $424K | −1.6% | #434 of 454 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Brunswick County, NC | 89 | 12 | 1.7 | $2.6M | +26.5% | #18 of 1,611 |
| 2Davie County, NC | 81 | 6 | 3.5 | $1.4M | +6.9% | #72 of 1,611 |
| 3Macon County, NC | 76 | 6 | 3.3 | $1.2M | +5.8% | #145 of 1,611 |
| 4Union County, NC | 76 | 47 | 5.6 | $1.1M | +11.7% | #147 of 1,611 |
| 5Lincoln County, NC | 75 | 14 | 3.8 | $1.3M | +13.2% | #156 of 1,611 |
| 6Henderson County, NC | 74 | 19 | 3.7 | $1.1M | +5.0% | #180 of 1,611 |
| 7Forsyth County, NC | 73 | 57 | 3.6 | $1.2M | +5.0% | #193 of 1,611 |
| 8Yadkin County, NC | 71 | 5 | 3.3 | $1.1M | +2.9% | #236 of 1,611 |
| 9Iredell County, NC | 71 | 43 | 5.6 | $895K | +12.9% | #247 of 1,611 |
| 10Burke County, NC | 69 | 9 | 2.5 | $1.4M | +1.6% | #277 of 1,611 |
| 11Chatham County, NC | 68 | 18 | 5.5 | $1.2M | +11.0% | #309 of 1,611 |
| 12Mecklenburg County, NC | 68 | 253 | 5.4 | $1.1M | +10.5% | #317 of 1,611 |
| 13Dare County, NC | 68 | 11 | 6.5 | $832K | +3.3% | #329 of 1,611 |
| 14Cabarrus County, NC | 66 | 52 | 6.2 | $895K | +9.9% | #374 of 1,611 |
| 15Catawba County, NC | 66 | 30 | 4.5 | $894K | +5.8% | #375 of 1,611 |
| 16Haywood County, NC | 65 | 6 | 2.2 | $1.7M | +1.9% | #380 of 1,611 |
| 17New Hanover County, NC | 65 | 56 | 5.3 | $909K | +8.6% | #402 of 1,611 |
| 18Watauga County, NC | 64 | 8 | 3.8 | $1M | +0.6% | #425 of 1,611 |
| 19Wake County, NC | 64 | 334 | 7.3 | $914K | +11.2% | #434 of 1,611 |
| 20Alamance County, NC | 63 | 24 | 3.4 | $1.1M | +8.5% | #450 of 1,611 |
| 21Franklin County, NC | 63 | 13 | 4.6 | $928K | +18.8% | #461 of 1,611 |
| 22McDowell County, NC | 61 | 6 | 3.2 | $1M | +1.5% | #514 of 1,611 |
| 23Carteret County, NC | 61 | 17 | 5.3 | $854K | +4.1% | #527 of 1,611 |
| 24Stokes County, NC | 60 | 7 | 3.6 | $917K | +3.5% | #547 of 1,611 |
| 25Buncombe County, NC | 60 | 55 | 5.4 | $872K | +2.9% | #552 of 1,611 |
Show all 100 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Johnston County, NC | 60 | 48 | 5.6 | $858K | +17.9% | #553 of 1,611 |
| 27Rowan County, NC | 59 | 30 | 5.1 | $780K | +5.6% | #585 of 1,611 |
| 28Davidson County, NC | 58 | 33 | 4.7 | $810K | +6.6% | #615 of 1,611 |
| 29Onslow County, NC | 57 | 33 | 4.4 | $863K | +6.0% | #636 of 1,611 |
| 30Gaston County, NC | 57 | 48 | 5.1 | $813K | +7.8% | #640 of 1,611 |
| 31Harnett County, NC | 53 | 24 | 4.8 | $853K | +12.3% | #752 of 1,611 |
| 32Durham County, NC | 53 | 97 | 6.8 | $779K | +7.7% | #756 of 1,611 |
| 33Orange County, NC | 52 | 45 | 7.8 | $796K | +6.1% | #775 of 1,611 |
| 34Pender County, NC | 52 | 22 | 8.7 | $543K | +19.0% | #786 of 1,611 |
| 35Wilkes County, NC | 50 | 8 | 3.0 | $976K | +0.6% | #814 of 1,611 |
| 36Craven County, NC | 49 | 21 | 4.9 | $772K | +3.5% | #854 of 1,611 |
| 37Person County, NC | 49 | 9 | 5.6 | $729K | +3.7% | #858 of 1,611 |
| 38Randolph County, NC | 48 | 26 | 4.5 | $765K | +3.5% | #877 of 1,611 |
| 39Rockingham County, NC | 46 | 18 | 4.5 | $743K | +3.3% | #929 of 1,611 |
| 40Moore County, NC | 46 | 34 | 7.7 | $655K | +10.3% | #938 of 1,611 |
| 41Transylvania County, NC | 45 | 10 | 6.9 | $593K | +2.9% | #966 of 1,611 |
| 42Guilford County, NC | 44 | 139 | 6.3 | $693K | +4.4% | #985 of 1,611 |
| 43Beaufort County, NC | 43 | 8 | 4.1 | $893K | 0.0% | #1,000 of 1,611 |
| 44Madison County, NC | 43 | 5 | 6.0 | $633K | +5.9% | #1,019 of 1,611 |
| 45Stanly County, NC | 42 | 12 | 4.8 | $779K | +9.8% | #1,033 of 1,611 |
| 46Nash County, NC | 41 | 19 | 4.9 | $776K | +3.9% | #1,064 of 1,611 |
| 47Wayne County, NC | 41 | 22 | 4.6 | $769K | +3.8% | #1,065 of 1,611 |
| 48Hoke County, NC | 41 | 13 | 6.8 | $592K | +9.0% | #1,081 of 1,611 |
| 49Edgecombe County, NC | 37 | 7 | 3.6 | $919K | +0.7% | #1,158 of 1,611 |
| 50Rutherford County, NC | 37 | 12 | 4.5 | $703K | +2.1% | #1,163 of 1,611 |
| 51Pitt County, NC | 37 | 46 | 6.2 | $610K | +5.4% | #1,169 of 1,611 |
| 52Lee County, NC | 37 | 18 | 7.2 | $517K | +10.8% | #1,172 of 1,611 |
| 53Jackson County, NC | 36 | 10 | 5.4 | $647K | +6.9% | #1,188 of 1,611 |
| 54Wilson County, NC | 36 | 18 | 5.4 | $647K | +1.7% | #1,189 of 1,611 |
| 55Surry County, NC | 36 | 18 | 6.0 | $562K | +1.3% | #1,197 of 1,611 |
| 56Granville County, NC | 35 | 16 | 7.1 | $617K | +2.1% | #1,219 of 1,611 |
| 57Pasquotank County, NC | 35 | 10 | 6.3 | $598K | +4.5% | #1,222 of 1,611 |
| 58Caldwell County, NC | 35 | 19 | 5.8 | $572K | +0.7% | #1,225 of 1,611 |
| 59Cleveland County, NC | 31 | 28 | 7.2 | $487K | +3.4% | #1,320 of 1,611 |
| 60Duplin County, NC | 30 | 12 | 5.8 | $553K | +6.0% | #1,332 of 1,611 |
| 61Chowan County, NC | 29 | 5 | 8.2 | $488K | +2.8% | #1,361 of 1,611 |
| 62Montgomery County, NC | 27 | 8 | 7.5 | $469K | +2.7% | #1,395 of 1,611 |
| 63Cumberland County, NC | 22 | 93 | 7.2 | $512K | +0.4% | #1,454 of 1,611 |
| 64Lenoir County, NC | 21 | 12 | 5.1 | $582K | +1.4% | #1,467 of 1,611 |
| 65Vance County, NC | 21 | 10 | 6.2 | $526K | +0.2% | #1,468 of 1,611 |
| 66Sampson County, NC | 21 | 14 | 6.5 | $492K | +4.1% | #1,470 of 1,611 |
| 67Bladen County, NC | 19 | 8 | 6.8 | $463K | +1.3% | #1,499 of 1,611 |
| 68Robeson County, NC | 17 | 33 | 7.7 | $375K | +3.4% | #1,532 of 1,611 |
| 69Richmond County, NC | 16 | 12 | 7.0 | $424K | −1.6% | #1,539 of 1,611 |
| 70Columbus County, NC | 15 | 15 | 7.5 | $421K | 0.0% | #1,547 of 1,611 |
| 71Scotland County, NC | 15 | 10 | 7.9 | $404K | −0.3% | #1,548 of 1,611 |
| 72Halifax County, NC | 13 | 13 | 6.4 | $495K | −3.9% | #1,562 of 1,611 |
| 73Greene County, NC | 13 | 5 | 7.2 | $390K | +1.3% | #1,567 of 1,611 |
| Alexander County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 2.1 | $1.6M | +1.5% | |
| Currituck County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 3.4 | $1.7M | +16.7% | |
| Cherokee County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 3.0 | $1M | +6.8% | |
| Ashe County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 3.3 | $1M | +3.5% | |
| Caswell County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 3.4 | $968K | +0.4% | |
| Anson County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 3.5 | $831K | −2.1% | |
| Martin County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 2.1 | $1.4M | −1.6% | |
| Hertford County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 3.6 | $873K | −11.2% | |
| Polk County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 3.3 | $1.3M | +6.0% | |
| Yancey County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 4.9 | $810K | +3.2% | |
| Warren County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 3.7 | $877K | +1.6% | |
| Avery County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 2.9 | $1.3M | +1.1% | |
| Bertie County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 5.6 | $630K | −3.6% | |
| Northampton County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 2.5 | $1.4M | −5.4% | |
| Mitchell County, NC | Not scored | 3 | 4.6 | $746K | +1.1% | |
| Swain County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 3.3 | $1.1M | −0.6% | |
| Perquimans County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.8 | $2.1M | +3.6% | |
| Pamlico County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 1.8 | $2M | +3.7% | |
| Clay County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 3.9 | $935K | +9.9% | |
| Alleghany County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 3.9 | $749K | +5.4% | |
| Camden County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 2.5 | $2M | +8.8% | |
| Washington County, NC | Not scored | 4 | 8.4 | $365K | −3.1% | |
| Gates County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 4.8 | $668K | −2.1% | |
| Jones County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 2.4 | $1.4M | +4.6% | |
| Graham County, NC | Not scored | 1 | 2.8 | $1.1M | +1.9% | |
| Hyde County, NC | Not scored | 2 | 10.3 | $257K | +1.0% | |
| Tyrrell County, NC | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +9.3% |
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 North Carolina?
As of September 2026, map listings count 2,350 child care centers and preschools in North Carolina. 304 of them (13%) are chain locations. The listings count day care centers and preschools. Official counts show 2,612 businesses with payroll classed as child care services in 2023, up 2.5% from 2019. Official counts also show 11,891 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in North Carolina spend on child care and other personal services?
About $2B a year, or $463 per household. That is 20% below the U.S. average (an index of 80, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 2,350 child care centers and preschools on map listings, it comes to $844K per center. It is estimated from the incomes of the 4,282,345 households in North Carolina and national spending patterns by income.
How does North Carolina compare with the U.S. for child care centers and preschools?
North Carolina has 5.5 child care centers and preschools per 10,000 households, 5% below the U.S. rate of 5.8. Spending per center is $844K, 16% below the U.S. figure of $1M. At the U.S. ratio of child care centers and preschools to household spending, North Carolina would have about 1,980, against 2,350 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,639 households, against one for every 1,573 across the U.S. The official count rose 2.5% from 2019 to 2023, against +5.7% for the U.S.
Which market in North Carolina has the highest market score for child care centers and preschools?
Among 16 scored metro areas in or partly in North Carolina, the Wilmington metro area scores highest, at 73 (upper middle). Among 23 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Carolina, the Kill Devil Hills area scores highest, at 75 (high). Among 73 scored counties in North Carolina, Brunswick County scores highest, at 89 (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. North Carolina scores 53 for child care centers and preschools (upper middle), #24 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 North Carolina. 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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- South Carolina
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- Tennessee
- Texas
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Top markets for child care centers and preschools across the U.S. · All business types in North Carolina
Screening a site or an acquisition in North Carolina?
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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.