Market rankings · Tennessee
Child care centers and preschools in Tennessee
Markets across Tennessee ranked by the Groundwork market score for child care centers and preschools, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 1,423
- 184 chain locations (13%)
- Official establishments
- 1,242
- +1.3% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $1.2B
- On child care and other personal services
- Listings per 10k households
- 5.0
- 14% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $869K
- 13% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #12 of 51
- Market score 64 · Upper middle
A site report maps the child care centers and preschools on map listings around any address in Tennessee 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
Map listings as of September 2026 show 1,423 child care centers and preschools in Tennessee. Chain locations make up 13% of them, against 12% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 5.0, 14% below the U.S. rate of 5.8.
At $438 per household (25% below the U.S. average), households in Tennessee spend about $1.2B a year on child care and other personal services. Spread across 1,423 child care centers and preschools, that is $869K per center, 13% below the U.S. figure of $1M.
In 2023, official counts showed 1,242 businesses with payroll in Tennessee classed as child care services, up 1.3% from 2019. That is one for every 2,274 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, 33 SBA-backed loans worth $41.5M have gone to businesses classed as child care services in Tennessee.
Among the 50 states and DC, Tennessee ranks #12 for child care centers and preschools, with a Groundwork market score of 64 (upper middle). Of the 10 scored metro areas in or partly in Tennessee, the Knoxville metro area scores highest (74). Of the 14 scored small-town markets in or partly in Tennessee, the Athens area scores highest (80).
Every market in Tennessee for child care centers and preschools
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Tennessee, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Knoxville, TN | 74 | 154 | 4.1 | $1.1M | +6.9% | #36 of 387 |
| 2Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | 73 | 441 | 5.3 | $998K | +8.7% | #43 of 387 |
| 3Johnson City, TN | 65 | 30 | 3.4 | $1.1M | +4.3% | #85 of 387 |
| 4Morristown, TN | 64 | 18 | 3.8 | $956K | +7.9% | #92 of 387 |
| 5Chattanooga, TN-GA | 60 | 120 | 5.2 | $871K | +5.3% | #121 of 387 |
| 6Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | 58 | 46 | 3.5 | $1M | +2.3% | #139 of 387 |
| 7Cleveland, TN | 48 | 19 | 3.8 | $1M | +6.1% | #206 of 387 |
| 8Clarksville, TN-KY | 34 | 78 | 6.2 | $626K | +8.5% | #305 of 387 |
| 9Jackson, TN | 30 | 40 | 5.5 | $661K | +2.2% | #330 of 387 |
| 10Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 29 | 330 | 6.3 | $694K | −0.3% | #334 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Athens, TN | 80 | 6 | 2.3 | $1.6M | +8.2% | #18 of 454 |
| 2Greeneville, TN | 74 | 8 | 2.8 | $1.2M | +5.0% | #48 of 454 |
| 3Crossville, TN | 74 | 9 | 3.2 | $1M | +8.0% | #51 of 454 |
| 4Lewisburg, TN | 70 | 5 | 3.7 | $1.1M | +10.5% | #74 of 454 |
| 5Sevierville, TN | 66 | 15 | 3.7 | $1M | +2.5% | #109 of 454 |
| 6Paris, TN | 55 | 5 | 3.7 | $828K | +2.3% | #189 of 454 |
| 7Cookeville, TN | 54 | 32 | 5.5 | $640K | +7.6% | #202 of 454 |
| 8Lawrenceburg, TN | 46 | 8 | 4.7 | $703K | +6.2% | #269 of 454 |
| 9Shelbyville, TN | 41 | 17 | 8.7 | $441K | +9.7% | #313 of 454 |
| 10McMinnville, TN | 39 | 10 | 6.2 | $525K | +6.5% | #324 of 454 |
| 11Tullahoma-Manchester, TN | 37 | 19 | 7.4 | $462K | +7.3% | #342 of 454 |
| 12Martin, TN | 36 | 7 | 5.2 | $598K | +1.1% | #347 of 454 |
| 13Union City, TN | 32 | 6 | 4.8 | $673K | −2.3% | #367 of 454 |
| 14Dyersburg, TN | 29 | 13 | 8.8 | $408K | −1.1% | #390 of 454 |
| Winchester, TN | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $1.6M | +6.4% | |
| Newport, TN | Not scored | 4 | 2.6 | $1.1M | +5.1% | |
| Fayetteville, TN | Not scored | 3 | 2.0 | $1.9M | +4.3% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Roane County, TN | 86 | 5 | 2.2 | $1.9M | +7.0% | #30 of 1,611 |
| 2Fayette County, TN | 82 | 7 | 4.1 | $1.2M | +7.7% | #67 of 1,611 |
| 3Blount County, TN | 78 | 22 | 4.0 | $1.1M | +6.0% | #121 of 1,611 |
| 4Wilson County, TN | 77 | 28 | 4.7 | $1.2M | +17.8% | #133 of 1,611 |
| 5Davidson County, TN | 76 | 146 | 4.5 | $1.1M | +4.2% | #148 of 1,611 |
| 6Williamson County, TN | 74 | 74 | 8.0 | $1M | +9.0% | #186 of 1,611 |
| 7Dickson County, TN | 73 | 10 | 4.6 | $953K | +7.7% | #205 of 1,611 |
| 8Maury County, TN | 72 | 20 | 4.7 | $938K | +16.0% | #223 of 1,611 |
| 9Anderson County, TN | 71 | 14 | 4.3 | $973K | +6.1% | #243 of 1,611 |
| 10McMinn County, TN | 70 | 6 | 2.8 | $1.3M | +7.6% | #255 of 1,611 |
| 11Sumner County, TN | 70 | 44 | 5.6 | $932K | +9.2% | #268 of 1,611 |
| 12Greene County, TN | 69 | 8 | 2.8 | $1.2M | +5.0% | #286 of 1,611 |
| 13Hawkins County, TN | 69 | 7 | 3.0 | $1.1M | +5.0% | #291 of 1,611 |
| 14Cumberland County, TN | 69 | 9 | 3.2 | $1M | +8.0% | #294 of 1,611 |
| 15Sullivan County, TN | 68 | 25 | 3.6 | $1M | +3.5% | #319 of 1,611 |
| 16Cheatham County, TN | 68 | 9 | 5.5 | $845K | +4.1% | #327 of 1,611 |
| 17Rutherford County, TN | 68 | 82 | 6.3 | $759K | +12.6% | #330 of 1,611 |
| 18Washington County, TN | 67 | 26 | 4.6 | $863K | +6.0% | #348 of 1,611 |
| 19Robertson County, TN | 66 | 17 | 6.0 | $749K | +9.9% | #379 of 1,611 |
| 20Knox County, TN | 65 | 104 | 5.2 | $912K | +6.5% | #401 of 1,611 |
| 21Hamilton County, TN | 65 | 91 | 5.9 | $824K | +6.2% | #407 of 1,611 |
| 22Marshall County, TN | 64 | 5 | 3.7 | $1.1M | +10.5% | #422 of 1,611 |
| 23Sevier County, TN | 58 | 15 | 3.7 | $1M | +2.5% | #605 of 1,611 |
| 24Rhea County, TN | 57 | 6 | 4.5 | $768K | +4.6% | #642 of 1,611 |
| 25Hamblen County, TN | 52 | 15 | 5.7 | $605K | +6.7% | #784 of 1,611 |
Show all 95 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Henry County, TN | 50 | 5 | 3.7 | $828K | +2.3% | #826 of 1,611 |
| 27Giles County, TN | 50 | 6 | 5.0 | $798K | +3.6% | #829 of 1,611 |
| 28Madison County, TN | 50 | 20 | 5.0 | $747K | +2.0% | #830 of 1,611 |
| 29Putnam County, TN | 50 | 19 | 5.7 | $656K | +8.1% | #832 of 1,611 |
| 30Bradley County, TN | 48 | 18 | 4.2 | $898K | +6.1% | #872 of 1,611 |
| 31Henderson County, TN | 46 | 5 | 4.6 | $738K | +2.5% | #931 of 1,611 |
| 32Montgomery County, TN | 46 | 57 | 6.5 | $640K | +13.0% | #944 of 1,611 |
| 33Marion County, TN | 45 | 9 | 7.6 | $479K | +3.2% | #968 of 1,611 |
| 34White County, TN | 41 | 7 | 6.2 | $475K | +7.9% | #1,088 of 1,611 |
| 35Lawrence County, TN | 40 | 8 | 4.7 | $703K | +6.2% | #1,104 of 1,611 |
| 36DeKalb County, TN | 39 | 7 | 8.1 | $396K | +8.4% | #1,135 of 1,611 |
| 37Warren County, TN | 35 | 10 | 6.2 | $525K | +6.5% | #1,227 of 1,611 |
| 38Bedford County, TN | 35 | 17 | 8.7 | $441K | +9.7% | #1,236 of 1,611 |
| 39Coffee County, TN | 33 | 16 | 6.9 | $481K | +7.4% | #1,283 of 1,611 |
| 40Shelby County, TN | 32 | 260 | 7.2 | $613K | −2.1% | #1,295 of 1,611 |
| 41Weakley County, TN | 32 | 7 | 5.2 | $598K | +1.1% | #1,296 of 1,611 |
| 42Chester County, TN | 31 | 5 | 7.8 | $441K | +3.5% | #1,324 of 1,611 |
| 43Gibson County, TN | 30 | 13 | 6.4 | $572K | +2.7% | #1,331 of 1,611 |
| 44Obion County, TN | 28 | 6 | 4.8 | $673K | −2.3% | #1,372 of 1,611 |
| 45Dyer County, TN | 25 | 13 | 8.8 | $408K | −1.1% | #1,421 of 1,611 |
| 46Carroll County, TN | 22 | 9 | 7.8 | $412K | +2.7% | #1,461 of 1,611 |
| 47Scott County, TN | 20 | 7 | 8.0 | $345K | +3.6% | #1,491 of 1,611 |
| 48Hardeman County, TN | 11 | 6 | 6.6 | $437K | −0.6% | #1,573 of 1,611 |
| Tipton County, TN | Not scored | 4 | 1.8 | $2.4M | +2.0% | |
| Loudon County, TN | Not scored | 1 | 0.4 | $11.7M | +15.6% | |
| Jefferson County, TN | Not scored | 3 | 1.4 | $2.7M | +9.3% | |
| Carter County, TN | Not scored | 3 | 1.2 | $2.4M | +1.7% | |
| Monroe County, TN | Not scored | 4 | 2.0 | $1.6M | +7.2% | |
| Franklin County, TN | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $1.6M | +6.4% | |
| Campbell County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 1.2 | $2.7M | +2.5% | |
| Cocke County, TN | Not scored | 4 | 2.6 | $1.1M | +5.1% | |
| Lincoln County, TN | Not scored | 3 | 2.0 | $1.9M | +4.3% | |
| Claiborne County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 1.5 | $2.2M | +3.6% | |
| Hardin County, TN | Not scored | 4 | 3.6 | $892K | +3.8% | |
| Macon County, TN | Not scored | 4 | 4.2 | $792K | +9.5% | |
| McNairy County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 2.0 | $1.6M | +1.4% | |
| Hickman County, TN | Not scored | 1 | 1.1 | $3.4M | +5.0% | |
| Lauderdale County, TN | Not scored | 4 | 4.3 | $744K | −2.0% | |
| Grainger County, TN | Not scored | 1 | 1.0 | $3.1M | +9.2% | |
| Overton County, TN | Not scored | 4 | 4.4 | $791K | +5.3% | |
| Morgan County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 2.8 | $1.3M | +5.3% | |
| Union County, TN | Not scored | 3 | 3.8 | $919K | +8.1% | |
| Smith County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 2.5 | $1.6M | +5.1% | |
| Fentress County, TN | Not scored | 3 | 3.8 | $719K | +9.7% | |
| Humphreys County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 2.8 | $1.3M | +3.4% | |
| Johnson County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 2.7 | $1.2M | +4.1% | |
| Polk County, TN | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $2.9M | +5.9% | |
| Unicoi County, TN | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $2.6M | −0.1% | |
| Haywood County, TN | Not scored | 4 | 5.6 | $581K | −4.4% | |
| Sequatchie County, TN | Not scored | 1 | 1.6 | $2.2M | +12.7% | |
| Wayne County, TN | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $2M | +1.2% | |
| Benton County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 2.8 | $1M | +2.1% | |
| Bledsoe County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 4.1 | $774K | +6.5% | |
| Cannon County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 3.5 | $1M | +5.0% | |
| Stewart County, TN | Not scored | 1 | 1.9 | $2M | +5.3% | |
| Crockett County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 3.6 | $923K | +0.7% | |
| Grundy County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 3.9 | $720K | +4.3% | |
| Meigs County, TN | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +10.8% | |
| Lewis County, TN | Not scored | 3 | 5.6 | $587K | +7.0% | |
| Jackson County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 4.2 | $762K | +7.1% | |
| Trousdale County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 5.4 | $686K | +8.4% | |
| Decatur County, TN | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.4% | |
| Perry County, TN | Not scored | 1 | 2.8 | $1.1M | +8.9% | |
| Houston County, TN | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.2% | |
| Clay County, TN | Not scored | 1 | 2.9 | $926K | +3.1% | |
| Hancock County, TN | Not scored | 2 | 7.1 | $388K | +6.7% | |
| Moore County, TN | Not scored | 3 | 11.0 | $358K | +6.9% | |
| Lake County, TN | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −10.6% | |
| Van Buren County, TN | Not scored | 1 | 3.9 | $799K | +11.3% | |
| Pickett County, TN | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +4.3% |
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 Tennessee?
There are 1,423 child care centers and preschools on map listings in Tennessee as of September 2026. 184 of them (13%) are chain locations. The listings count day care centers and preschools. Official counts show 1,242 businesses with payroll classed as child care services in 2023, up 1.3% from 2019. Another 10,418 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Tennessee spend on child care and other personal services?
About $1.2B a year, or $438 per household. That is 25% below the U.S. average (an index of 75, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 1,423 child care centers and preschools on map listings, it comes to $869K per center. It is estimated from the incomes of the 2,824,277 households in Tennessee and national spending patterns by income.
How does Tennessee compare with the U.S. for child care centers and preschools?
Tennessee 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 $869K, 13% below the U.S. figure of $1M. At the national ratio of child care centers and preschools to household spending, Tennessee would have about 1,235, against 1,423 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 2,274 households, against one for every 1,573 across the U.S. The official count rose 1.3% from 2019 to 2023, against +5.7% for the U.S.
Which market in Tennessee has the highest market score for child care centers and preschools?
Among 10 scored metro areas in or partly in Tennessee, the Knoxville metro area scores highest, at 74 (upper middle). Among 14 scored small-town markets in or partly in Tennessee, the Athens area scores highest, at 80 (high). Among 48 scored counties in Tennessee, Roane County scores highest, at 86 (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. Tennessee scores 64 for child care centers and preschools (upper middle), #12 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 Tennessee. 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 Tennessee
Screening a site or an acquisition in Tennessee?
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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.