Market rankings · Pennsylvania
Child care centers and preschools in Pennsylvania
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Pennsylvania, ranked by the Groundwork market score for child care centers and preschools, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 3,274
- 412 chain locations (13%)
- Official establishments
- 3,823
- −0.3% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $3.1B
- On child care and other personal services
- Listings per 10k households
- 6.2
- 7% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $941K
- 6% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #34 of 51
- Market score 42 · Lower middle
A site report maps the child care centers and preschools on map listings around any address in Pennsylvania 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 3,274 child care centers and preschools on map listings in Pennsylvania as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 13% of them, against 12% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 6.2, 7% above the U.S. rate of 5.8.
Household spending on child care and other personal services in Pennsylvania comes to about $3.1B a year: $584 per household, in line with the U.S. average. That is about $941K of household spending for each center on map listings, 6% below the U.S. figure of $1M.
In 2023, official counts showed 3,823 businesses with payroll in Pennsylvania classed as child care services, down 0.3% from 2019. That is one for every 1,380 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, 204 SBA-backed loans worth $165.7M have gone to businesses classed as child care services in Pennsylvania.
Among the 50 states and DC, Pennsylvania ranks #34 for child care centers and preschools, with a Groundwork market score of 42 (lower middle). Of the 16 scored metro areas in or partly in Pennsylvania, the Gettysburg metro area scores highest (77). Of the 18 scored small-town markets in or partly in Pennsylvania, the Hemlock Farms area scores highest (85).
Every market in Pennsylvania for child care centers and preschools
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Pennsylvania, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Gettysburg, PA | 77 | 10 | 2.4 | $2.3M | +3.6% | #27 of 387 |
| 2Lancaster, PA | 73 | 96 | 4.5 | $1.3M | +1.9% | #40 of 387 |
| 3Chambersburg, PA | 69 | 21 | 3.3 | $1.6M | +3.0% | #57 of 387 |
| 4York-Hanover, PA | 68 | 91 | 5.0 | $1.1M | +3.6% | #65 of 387 |
| 5Lebanon, PA | 66 | 23 | 4.1 | $1.3M | +2.2% | #77 of 387 |
| 6Reading, PA | 66 | 85 | 5.2 | $1.1M | +2.7% | #78 of 387 |
| 7State College, PA | 61 | 28 | 4.7 | $1.2M | −0.4% | #106 of 387 |
| 8Pittsburgh, PA | 50 | 526 | 5.0 | $1.1M | −1.3% | #191 of 387 |
| 9Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 49 | 167 | 6.8 | $850K | +4.2% | #200 of 387 |
| 10Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 48 | 220 | 6.5 | $939K | +3.0% | #207 of 387 |
| 11Altoona, PA | 46 | 23 | 4.5 | $956K | −2.5% | #225 of 387 |
| 12Williamsport, PA | 43 | 17 | 3.6 | $1.2M | −1.3% | #245 of 387 |
| 13Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 43 | 1,939 | 7.9 | $873K | +1.4% | #249 of 387 |
| 14Erie, PA | 38 | 57 | 5.2 | $904K | −1.8% | #277 of 387 |
| 15Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA | 35 | 137 | 5.8 | $816K | +1.4% | #290 of 387 |
| 16Johnstown, PA | 30 | 24 | 4.3 | $962K | −3.2% | #327 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hemlock Farms, PA | 85 | 12 | 4.9 | $1.2M | +7.2% | #9 of 454 |
| 2Somerset, PA | 66 | 9 | 3.1 | $1.3M | −2.7% | #105 of 454 |
| 3Pottsville, PA | 66 | 21 | 3.6 | $1.2M | +1.5% | #106 of 454 |
| 4Meadville, PA | 66 | 12 | 3.5 | $1.1M | −2.4% | #107 of 454 |
| 5Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA | 64 | 10 | 3.8 | $1.2M | +2.3% | #116 of 454 |
| 6Warren, PA | 63 | 6 | 3.7 | $1.1M | −3.8% | #120 of 454 |
| 7Hermitage, PA | 63 | 20 | 4.3 | $982K | −2.4% | #121 of 454 |
| 8Indiana, PA | 62 | 11 | 3.4 | $1.2M | −0.3% | #127 of 454 |
| 9Oil City, PA | 56 | 7 | 3.3 | $1.2M | −2.0% | #177 of 454 |
| 10Lock Haven, PA | 56 | 7 | 4.5 | $942K | +1.3% | #179 of 454 |
| 11East Stroudsburg, PA | 55 | 36 | 5.9 | $965K | −0.7% | #185 of 454 |
| 12Lewisburg, PA | 48 | 9 | 6.2 | $842K | −0.8% | #241 of 454 |
| 13Sunbury, PA | 48 | 31 | 6.8 | $660K | −1.7% | #247 of 454 |
| 14St. Marys, PA | 47 | 7 | 5.3 | $776K | −3.3% | #254 of 454 |
| 15Selinsgrove, PA | 46 | 9 | 6.2 | $727K | −0.2% | #268 of 454 |
| 16DuBois, PA | 45 | 14 | 4.3 | $945K | −2.9% | #272 of 454 |
| 17Bradford, PA | 36 | 10 | 6.1 | $675K | −3.5% | #345 of 454 |
| 18Sayre, PA | 29 | 21 | 8.5 | $526K | −0.6% | #387 of 454 |
| Lewistown, PA | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $7.1M | 0.0% | |
| Huntingdon, PA | Not scored | 3 | 1.8 | $2.4M | −2.4% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Pike County, PA | 81 | 12 | 4.9 | $1.2M | +7.2% | #75 of 1,611 |
| 2Adams County, PA | 79 | 10 | 2.4 | $2.3M | +3.6% | #90 of 1,611 |
| 3Lancaster County, PA | 74 | 96 | 4.5 | $1.3M | +1.9% | #173 of 1,611 |
| 4Franklin County, PA | 72 | 21 | 3.3 | $1.6M | +3.0% | #209 of 1,611 |
| 5Chester County, PA | 72 | 147 | 7.2 | $1.3M | +4.2% | #211 of 1,611 |
| 6Perry County, PA | 72 | 9 | 4.9 | $1.1M | +2.1% | #221 of 1,611 |
| 7York County, PA | 71 | 91 | 5.0 | $1.1M | +3.6% | #235 of 1,611 |
| 8Butler County, PA | 70 | 42 | 5.2 | $1.2M | +3.2% | #258 of 1,611 |
| 9Cumberland County, PA | 70 | 68 | 6.4 | $963K | +6.5% | #266 of 1,611 |
| 10Lebanon County, PA | 69 | 23 | 4.1 | $1.3M | +2.2% | #279 of 1,611 |
| 11Berks County, PA | 69 | 85 | 5.2 | $1.1M | +2.7% | #293 of 1,611 |
| 12Centre County, PA | 63 | 28 | 4.7 | $1.2M | −0.4% | #447 of 1,611 |
| 13Somerset County, PA | 62 | 9 | 3.1 | $1.3M | −2.7% | #475 of 1,611 |
| 14Montgomery County, PA | 62 | 286 | 8.5 | $987K | +2.4% | #487 of 1,611 |
| 15Bucks County, PA | 61 | 174 | 7.0 | $1.2M | +0.3% | #508 of 1,611 |
| 16Susquehanna County, PA | 60 | 5 | 3.2 | $1.5M | −0.3% | #529 of 1,611 |
| 17Crawford County, PA | 60 | 12 | 3.5 | $1.1M | −2.4% | #535 of 1,611 |
| 18Northampton County, PA | 60 | 77 | 6.3 | $999K | +3.7% | #542 of 1,611 |
| 19Schuylkill County, PA | 58 | 21 | 3.6 | $1.2M | +1.5% | #588 of 1,611 |
| 20Warren County, PA | 58 | 6 | 3.7 | $1.1M | −3.8% | #601 of 1,611 |
| 21Westmoreland County, PA | 57 | 71 | 4.6 | $1.2M | −1.4% | #623 of 1,611 |
| 22Mercer County, PA | 57 | 20 | 4.3 | $982K | −2.4% | #627 of 1,611 |
| 23Wyoming County, PA | 57 | 6 | 5.5 | $876K | −0.9% | #635 of 1,611 |
| 24Indiana County, PA | 56 | 11 | 3.4 | $1.2M | −0.3% | #648 of 1,611 |
| 25Columbia County, PA | 56 | 10 | 3.8 | $1.2M | +2.3% | #649 of 1,611 |
Show all 67 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Allegheny County, PA | 54 | 274 | 5.0 | $1.2M | −2.0% | #703 of 1,611 |
| 27Fayette County, PA | 54 | 20 | 3.6 | $1.1M | −4.3% | #704 of 1,611 |
| 28Washington County, PA | 54 | 45 | 5.1 | $1.1M | +0.7% | #705 of 1,611 |
| 29Venango County, PA | 50 | 7 | 3.3 | $1.2M | −2.0% | #811 of 1,611 |
| 30Monroe County, PA | 50 | 36 | 5.9 | $965K | −0.7% | #815 of 1,611 |
| 31Blair County, PA | 50 | 23 | 4.5 | $956K | −2.5% | #816 of 1,611 |
| 32Wayne County, PA | 49 | 10 | 4.8 | $944K | +1.1% | #841 of 1,611 |
| 33Lehigh County, PA | 49 | 98 | 6.8 | $880K | +2.7% | #845 of 1,611 |
| 34Beaver County, PA | 49 | 43 | 6.0 | $842K | −1.1% | #847 of 1,611 |
| 35Lycoming County, PA | 48 | 17 | 3.6 | $1.2M | −1.3% | #866 of 1,611 |
| 36Lawrence County, PA | 47 | 16 | 4.4 | $971K | −2.4% | #890 of 1,611 |
| 37Clinton County, PA | 47 | 7 | 4.5 | $942K | +1.3% | #893 of 1,611 |
| 38Delaware County, PA | 47 | 174 | 8.0 | $871K | +0.8% | #899 of 1,611 |
| 39Northumberland County, PA | 47 | 23 | 6.1 | $693K | −1.8% | #906 of 1,611 |
| 40Bedford County, PA | 45 | 8 | 4.1 | $1M | −0.2% | #949 of 1,611 |
| 41Erie County, PA | 45 | 57 | 5.2 | $904K | −1.8% | #952 of 1,611 |
| 42Luzerne County, PA | 45 | 73 | 5.4 | $871K | +2.1% | #956 of 1,611 |
| 43Dauphin County, PA | 44 | 90 | 7.4 | $744K | +2.3% | #979 of 1,611 |
| 44Union County, PA | 42 | 9 | 6.2 | $842K | −0.8% | #1,032 of 1,611 |
| 45Carbon County, PA | 42 | 18 | 6.6 | $695K | +1.7% | #1,042 of 1,611 |
| 46Clarion County, PA | 40 | 6 | 4.0 | $1.1M | −1.4% | #1,089 of 1,611 |
| 47Elk County, PA | 40 | 7 | 5.3 | $776K | −3.3% | #1,095 of 1,611 |
| 48Lackawanna County, PA | 40 | 58 | 6.6 | $740K | +0.5% | #1,100 of 1,611 |
| 49Clearfield County, PA | 38 | 14 | 4.3 | $945K | −2.9% | #1,136 of 1,611 |
| 50Snyder County, PA | 38 | 9 | 6.2 | $727K | −0.2% | #1,144 of 1,611 |
| 51Greene County, PA | 37 | 7 | 4.9 | $925K | −5.5% | #1,157 of 1,611 |
| 52Cambria County, PA | 36 | 24 | 4.3 | $962K | −3.2% | #1,175 of 1,611 |
| 53Armstrong County, PA | 36 | 15 | 5.4 | $815K | −2.7% | #1,176 of 1,611 |
| 54Tioga County, PA | 28 | 10 | 6.0 | $721K | −1.3% | #1,368 of 1,611 |
| 55McKean County, PA | 28 | 10 | 6.1 | $675K | −3.5% | #1,371 of 1,611 |
| 56Montour County, PA | 27 | 8 | 10.2 | $566K | −1.4% | #1,391 of 1,611 |
| 57Philadelphia County, PA | 24 | 668 | 9.8 | $514K | −1.6% | #1,429 of 1,611 |
| 58Bradford County, PA | 23 | 21 | 8.5 | $526K | −0.6% | #1,441 of 1,611 |
| 59Jefferson County, PA | 17 | 15 | 8.2 | $491K | −2.8% | #1,526 of 1,611 |
| Mifflin County, PA | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $7.1M | 0.0% | |
| Huntingdon County, PA | Not scored | 3 | 1.8 | $2.4M | −2.4% | |
| Juniata County, PA | Not scored | 3 | 3.3 | $1.3M | −0.3% | |
| Potter County, PA | Not scored | 2 | 2.9 | $1.4M | −3.0% | |
| Fulton County, PA | Not scored | 1 | 1.6 | $2.8M | −0.6% | |
| Forest County, PA | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.1% | |
| Sullivan County, PA | Not scored | 2 | 7.8 | $606K | +0.6% | |
| Cameron County, PA | Not scored | 2 | 9.0 | $361K | −7.0% |
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 Pennsylvania?
As of September 2026, map listings count 3,274 child care centers and preschools in Pennsylvania. 412 of them (13%) are chain locations. The listings count day care centers and preschools. Official counts show 3,823 businesses with payroll classed as child care services in 2023, down 0.3% from 2019. Another 10,892 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Pennsylvania spend on child care and other personal services?
About $3.1B a year, or $584 per household. That is in line with the U.S. average (an index of 101, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 3,274 child care centers and preschools on map listings, it comes to $941K per center. It is estimated from the incomes of the 5,274,853 households in Pennsylvania and national spending patterns by income.
How does Pennsylvania compare with the U.S. for child care centers and preschools?
Pennsylvania has 6.2 child care centers and preschools per 10,000 households, 7% above the U.S. rate of 5.8. Spending per center is $941K, 6% below the U.S. figure of $1M. At the U.S. ratio of child care centers and preschools to household spending, Pennsylvania would have about 3,075, against 3,274 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,380 households, against one for every 1,573 across the U.S. The official count fell 0.3% from 2019 to 2023, against +5.7% for the U.S.
Which market in Pennsylvania has the highest market score for child care centers and preschools?
Among 16 scored metro areas in or partly in Pennsylvania, the Gettysburg metro area scores highest, at 77 (high). Among 18 scored small-town markets in or partly in Pennsylvania, the Hemlock Farms area scores highest, at 85 (high). Among 59 scored counties in Pennsylvania, Pike County scores highest, at 81 (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. Pennsylvania scores 42 for child care centers and preschools (lower middle), #34 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 Pennsylvania. 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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- Pennsylvania
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- South Carolina
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- Tennessee
- Texas
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- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
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Top markets for child care centers and preschools across the U.S. · All business types in Pennsylvania
Screening a site or an acquisition in Pennsylvania?
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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.