Market rankings · Texas
Child care centers and preschools in Texas
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Texas, ranked by the Groundwork market score for child care centers and preschools, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 6,089
- 973 chain locations (16%)
- Official establishments
- 6,242
- +10.1% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $5.6B
- On child care and other personal services
- Listings per 10k households
- 5.5
- 5% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $916K
- 9% below the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #10 of 51
- Market score 65 · Upper middle
A site report maps the child care centers and preschools on map listings around any address in Texas 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
Texas has 6,089 child care centers and preschools on map listings as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 16% of them, against 12% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 5.5, 5% below the U.S. rate of 5.8.
At $507 per household (13% below the U.S. average), households in Texas spend about $5.6B a year on child care and other personal services. That is about $916K of household spending for each center on map listings, 9% below the U.S. figure of $1M.
In 2023, official counts showed 6,242 businesses with payroll in Texas classed as child care services, up 10.1% from 2019. That is one for every 1,761 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, 498 SBA-backed loans worth $661.2M have gone to businesses classed as child care services in Texas.
Among the 50 states and DC, Texas ranks #10 for child care centers and preschools, with a Groundwork market score of 65 (upper middle). Of the 26 scored metro areas in or partly in Texas, the Midland metro area scores highest (80). Of the 26 scored small-town markets in or partly in Texas, the Brenham area scores highest (86).
Every market in Texas for child care centers and preschools
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Texas, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Midland, TX | 80 | 30 | 4.3 | $1.4M | +9.8% | #19 of 387 |
| 2Odessa, TX | 77 | 22 | 3.4 | $1.3M | +5.0% | #29 of 387 |
| 3San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 73 | 451 | 4.7 | $1M | +9.5% | #42 of 387 |
| 4Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 72 | 609 | 6.2 | $1M | +14.0% | #50 of 387 |
| 5Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 70 | 1,608 | 5.6 | $1M | +10.6% | #56 of 387 |
| 6Abilene, TX | 67 | 24 | 3.6 | $1.1M | +4.8% | #72 of 387 |
| 7College Station-Bryan, TX | 64 | 47 | 4.4 | $958K | +6.9% | #91 of 387 |
| 8Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 62 | 1,504 | 5.7 | $960K | +10.3% | #101 of 387 |
| 9Sherman-Denison, TX | 60 | 29 | 5.2 | $834K | +12.8% | #122 of 387 |
| 10San Angelo, TX | 59 | 17 | 3.6 | $1.1M | +0.3% | #127 of 387 |
| 11Amarillo, TX | 54 | 47 | 4.6 | $947K | +2.7% | #171 of 387 |
| 12Waco, TX | 49 | 55 | 4.9 | $852K | +4.2% | #199 of 387 |
| 13Longview, TX | 48 | 48 | 4.4 | $888K | +3.8% | #209 of 387 |
| 14Tyler, TX | 48 | 51 | 6.1 | $744K | +7.8% | #213 of 387 |
| 15Lubbock, TX | 47 | 69 | 4.9 | $842K | +4.6% | #221 of 387 |
| 16Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 46 | 65 | 4.3 | $965K | +0.5% | #224 of 387 |
| 17Corpus Christi, TX | 46 | 88 | 5.2 | $814K | +1.1% | #229 of 387 |
| 18Killeen-Temple, TX | 36 | 96 | 5.4 | $739K | +7.2% | #287 of 387 |
| 19El Paso, TX | 35 | 148 | 4.9 | $755K | +1.3% | #291 of 387 |
| 20Victoria, TX | 33 | 22 | 5.8 | $696K | +1.6% | #312 of 387 |
| 21Wichita Falls, TX | 24 | 39 | 6.9 | $578K | +0.7% | #363 of 387 |
| 22Laredo, TX | 22 | 61 | 7.5 | $496K | +5.2% | #369 of 387 |
| 23McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 17 | 281 | 10.4 | $333K | +5.6% | #377 of 387 |
| 24Eagle Pass, TX | 13 | 15 | 8.3 | $385K | +1.7% | #381 of 387 |
| 25Texarkana, TX-AR | 12 | 39 | 6.9 | $520K | −0.4% | #383 of 387 |
| 26Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 12 | 124 | 9.0 | $371K | +3.0% | #384 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Brenham, TX | 86 | 6 | 3.9 | $1.2M | +7.0% | #8 of 454 |
| 2Granbury, TX | 79 | 13 | 5.1 | $1M | +13.6% | #23 of 454 |
| 3Sulphur Springs, TX | 79 | 6 | 4.3 | $951K | +6.1% | #24 of 454 |
| 4Gainesville, TX | 73 | 9 | 5.4 | $869K | +6.5% | #56 of 454 |
| 5Nacogdoches, TX | 72 | 8 | 3.2 | $1.1M | +2.2% | #62 of 454 |
| 6Jacksonville, TX | 71 | 7 | 3.8 | $989K | +5.4% | #70 of 454 |
| 7Athens, TX | 71 | 16 | 4.8 | $828K | +7.5% | #71 of 454 |
| 8Paris, TX | 70 | 10 | 4.0 | $943K | +2.6% | #76 of 454 |
| 9Mineral Wells, TX | 69 | 6 | 5.3 | $734K | +8.2% | #82 of 454 |
| 10Huntsville, TX | 68 | 8 | 3.1 | $1.1M | +9.5% | #86 of 454 |
| 11Palestine, TX | 68 | 6 | 3.4 | $1M | +3.2% | #88 of 454 |
| 12Bay City, TX | 68 | 6 | 3.9 | $1M | +0.5% | #89 of 454 |
| 13Stephenville, TX | 62 | 12 | 7.1 | $568K | +2.8% | #133 of 454 |
| 14Big Spring, TX | 54 | 6 | 4.9 | $879K | −12.4% | #200 of 454 |
| 15Corsicana, TX | 52 | 10 | 5.3 | $726K | +8.2% | #216 of 454 |
| 16Brownwood, TX | 51 | 6 | 4.0 | $840K | +1.7% | #224 of 454 |
| 17El Campo, TX | 50 | 11 | 6.9 | $610K | +1.2% | #233 of 454 |
| 18Mount Pleasant, TX | 45 | 10 | 4.8 | $722K | +2.5% | #276 of 454 |
| 19Del Rio, TX | 44 | 10 | 5.9 | $620K | +0.5% | #283 of 454 |
| 20Plainview, TX | 43 | 6 | 4.6 | $719K | −3.0% | #290 of 454 |
| 21Lufkin, TX | 31 | 25 | 7.7 | $469K | +1.9% | #375 of 454 |
| 22Alice, TX | 28 | 9 | 5.5 | $649K | −1.3% | #391 of 454 |
| 23Uvalde, TX | 25 | 7 | 8.3 | $421K | +1.6% | #407 of 454 |
| 24Rio Grande City-Roma, TX | 21 | 16 | 8.4 | $355K | +0.7% | #421 of 454 |
| 25Sweetwater, TX | 14 | 5 | 8.5 | $423K | −4.1% | #440 of 454 |
Show all 41 small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Kingsville, TX | 13 | 11 | 9.3 | $380K | −2.2% | #443 of 454 |
| Kerrville, TX | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | $4.8M | +2.5% | |
| Bonham, TX | Not scored | 3 | 2.3 | $1.9M | +9.2% | |
| Beeville, TX | Not scored | 3 | 3.4 | $1.1M | +4.7% | |
| Fredericksburg, TX | Not scored | 3 | 2.6 | $2M | +6.6% | |
| Pampa, TX | Not scored | 4 | 4.8 | $769K | −1.1% | |
| Dumas, TX | Not scored | 2 | 2.8 | $1.3M | +3.0% | |
| Borger, TX | Not scored | 3 | 4.3 | $951K | −4.5% | |
| Raymondville, TX | Not scored | 2 | 3.5 | $939K | −0.8% | |
| Port Lavaca, TX | Not scored | 4 | 4.6 | $996K | −2.3% | |
| Andrews, TX | Not scored | 3 | 4.4 | $1.1M | +1.6% | |
| Hereford, TX | Not scored | 3 | 5.0 | $717K | +0.5% | |
| Snyder, TX | Not scored | 4 | 6.8 | $545K | −4.5% | |
| Zapata, TX | Not scored | 3 | 6.6 | $453K | −0.9% | |
| Town of Pecos, TX | Not scored | 2 | 4.7 | $816K | −17.8% | |
| Vernon, TX | Not scored | 1 | 2.1 | $1.4M | −2.8% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Waller County, TX | 93 | 5 | 2.7 | $2M | +21.9% | #3 of 1,611 |
| 2Kendall County, TX | 92 | 9 | 5.1 | $1.4M | +19.6% | #8 of 1,611 |
| 3Comal County, TX | 91 | 33 | 4.6 | $1.4M | +27.9% | #13 of 1,611 |
| 4Johnson County, TX | 88 | 23 | 3.5 | $1.4M | +20.5% | #23 of 1,611 |
| 5Montgomery County, TX | 86 | 119 | 4.8 | $1.3M | +24.9% | #35 of 1,611 |
| 6Rockwall County, TX | 85 | 22 | 5.3 | $1.4M | +28.9% | #39 of 1,611 |
| 7Hunt County, TX | 84 | 10 | 2.6 | $1.6M | +23.0% | #45 of 1,611 |
| 8Wise County, TX | 83 | 10 | 4.0 | $1.4M | +21.5% | #57 of 1,611 |
| 9Chambers County, TX | 82 | 7 | 4.1 | $1.6M | +22.6% | #63 of 1,611 |
| 10Midland County, TX | 81 | 29 | 4.3 | $1.4M | +10.0% | #71 of 1,611 |
| 11Washington County, TX | 81 | 6 | 3.9 | $1.2M | +7.0% | #74 of 1,611 |
| 12Guadalupe County, TX | 81 | 32 | 4.9 | $1.1M | +15.8% | #76 of 1,611 |
| 13Medina County, TX | 80 | 6 | 3.4 | $1.3M | +11.4% | #83 of 1,611 |
| 14Hays County, TX | 80 | 44 | 4.4 | $1.3M | +24.8% | #84 of 1,611 |
| 15Galveston County, TX | 79 | 60 | 4.3 | $1.3M | +5.9% | #102 of 1,611 |
| 16Parker County, TX | 79 | 30 | 5.3 | $1.2M | +23.5% | #103 of 1,611 |
| 17Travis County, TX | 79 | 332 | 5.7 | $1.1M | +7.2% | #104 of 1,611 |
| 18Ector County, TX | 78 | 22 | 3.4 | $1.3M | +5.0% | #116 of 1,611 |
| 19Upshur County, TX | 78 | 5 | 3.2 | $1.2M | +8.2% | #118 of 1,611 |
| 20Ellis County, TX | 78 | 35 | 4.9 | $1.2M | +24.0% | #119 of 1,611 |
| 21Denton County, TX | 77 | 232 | 6.4 | $1.1M | +16.9% | #134 of 1,611 |
| 22Burnet County, TX | 77 | 10 | 4.8 | $1M | +15.2% | #135 of 1,611 |
| 23Polk County, TX | 76 | 6 | 3.1 | $1.2M | +5.9% | #144 of 1,611 |
| 24Caldwell County, TX | 76 | 6 | 3.6 | $1.1M | +20.0% | #149 of 1,611 |
| 25Hood County, TX | 76 | 13 | 5.1 | $1M | +13.6% | #151 of 1,611 |
Show all 254 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Randall County, TX | 71 | 29 | 5.1 | $959K | +7.9% | #244 of 1,611 |
| 27Hopkins County, TX | 71 | 6 | 4.3 | $951K | +6.1% | #245 of 1,611 |
| 28Taylor County, TX | 70 | 21 | 3.8 | $1M | +4.6% | #262 of 1,611 |
| 29Bastrop County, TX | 70 | 20 | 5.4 | $918K | +21.3% | #269 of 1,611 |
| 30Harrison County, TX | 69 | 9 | 3.4 | $1.1M | +4.6% | #290 of 1,611 |
| 31Collin County, TX | 69 | 320 | 7.7 | $973K | +20.6% | #297 of 1,611 |
| 32Bexar County, TX | 69 | 355 | 4.7 | $964K | +7.2% | #298 of 1,611 |
| 33Liberty County, TX | 68 | 16 | 5.1 | $833K | +31.3% | #328 of 1,611 |
| 34Cooke County, TX | 67 | 9 | 5.4 | $869K | +6.5% | #347 of 1,611 |
| 35Aransas County, TX | 67 | 7 | 5.6 | $788K | +9.3% | #350 of 1,611 |
| 36Tom Green County, TX | 66 | 15 | 3.2 | $1.2M | +0.4% | #359 of 1,611 |
| 37Walker County, TX | 66 | 8 | 3.1 | $1.1M | +9.5% | #366 of 1,611 |
| 38Fort Bend County, TX | 66 | 204 | 7.0 | $999K | +17.4% | #370 of 1,611 |
| 39Nacogdoches County, TX | 65 | 8 | 3.2 | $1.1M | +2.2% | #393 of 1,611 |
| 40Dallas County, TX | 65 | 442 | 4.5 | $1.1M | +1.9% | #394 of 1,611 |
| 41Hardin County, TX | 65 | 10 | 4.5 | $1M | +4.2% | #398 of 1,611 |
| 42Cherokee County, TX | 65 | 7 | 3.8 | $989K | +5.4% | #399 of 1,611 |
| 43Brazos County, TX | 65 | 41 | 4.5 | $950K | +6.2% | #400 of 1,611 |
| 44Hill County, TX | 65 | 6 | 4.4 | $869K | +9.8% | #403 of 1,611 |
| 45Grayson County, TX | 65 | 29 | 5.2 | $834K | +12.8% | #406 of 1,611 |
| 46Austin County, TX | 64 | 6 | 4.9 | $982K | +11.6% | #429 of 1,611 |
| 47Tarrant County, TX | 64 | 449 | 5.7 | $917K | +6.3% | #433 of 1,611 |
| 48Henderson County, TX | 64 | 16 | 4.8 | $828K | +7.5% | #438 of 1,611 |
| 49Kaufman County, TX | 63 | 35 | 6.9 | $740K | +42.2% | #468 of 1,611 |
| 50Anderson County, TX | 62 | 6 | 3.4 | $1M | +3.2% | #485 of 1,611 |
| 51Van Zandt County, TX | 62 | 11 | 4.8 | $819K | +10.7% | #494 of 1,611 |
| 52Matagorda County, TX | 61 | 6 | 3.9 | $1M | +0.5% | #517 of 1,611 |
| 53Brazoria County, TX | 61 | 87 | 6.5 | $926K | +12.2% | #524 of 1,611 |
| 54Harris County, TX | 61 | 996 | 5.7 | $886K | +6.6% | #526 of 1,611 |
| 55Palo Pinto County, TX | 61 | 6 | 5.3 | $734K | +8.2% | #528 of 1,611 |
| 56Williamson County, TX | 60 | 207 | 8.2 | $823K | +22.3% | #556 of 1,611 |
| 57Llano County, TX | 59 | 6 | 5.6 | $818K | +9.5% | #582 of 1,611 |
| 58San Patricio County, TX | 57 | 11 | 4.3 | $974K | +4.7% | #628 of 1,611 |
| 59McLennan County, TX | 56 | 50 | 5.1 | $831K | +4.2% | #666 of 1,611 |
| 60Smith County, TX | 56 | 51 | 6.1 | $744K | +7.8% | #671 of 1,611 |
| 61Grimes County, TX | 55 | 6 | 5.9 | $700K | +16.3% | #698 of 1,611 |
| 62Orange County, TX | 54 | 15 | 4.6 | $980K | +1.8% | #711 of 1,611 |
| 63Coryell County, TX | 54 | 12 | 4.4 | $865K | +3.0% | #723 of 1,611 |
| 64Lubbock County, TX | 54 | 64 | 5.1 | $823K | +5.6% | #730 of 1,611 |
| 65Lamar County, TX | 53 | 10 | 5.0 | $787K | +2.7% | #755 of 1,611 |
| 66Rusk County, TX | 53 | 10 | 5.5 | $732K | +5.0% | #757 of 1,611 |
| 67Erath County, TX | 53 | 12 | 7.1 | $568K | +2.8% | #761 of 1,611 |
| 68Lampasas County, TX | 52 | 7 | 8.3 | $589K | +9.0% | #785 of 1,611 |
| 69Nueces County, TX | 51 | 70 | 5.3 | $791K | −0.2% | #801 of 1,611 |
| 70Howard County, TX | 49 | 6 | 4.9 | $879K | −12.4% | #846 of 1,611 |
| 71Lee County, TX | 49 | 5 | 7.2 | $610K | +7.0% | #864 of 1,611 |
| 72Jefferson County, TX | 47 | 40 | 4.2 | $942K | −0.7% | #894 of 1,611 |
| 73Milam County, TX | 47 | 5 | 4.9 | $791K | +6.0% | #901 of 1,611 |
| 74Atascosa County, TX | 47 | 10 | 6.0 | $687K | +8.7% | #907 of 1,611 |
| 75Brown County, TX | 44 | 6 | 4.0 | $840K | +1.7% | #973 of 1,611 |
| 76El Paso County, TX | 44 | 148 | 4.9 | $754K | +1.3% | #977 of 1,611 |
| 77Bell County, TX | 44 | 77 | 5.4 | $733K | +8.0% | #981 of 1,611 |
| 78Victoria County, TX | 44 | 21 | 6.0 | $672K | +1.5% | #986 of 1,611 |
| 79Navarro County, TX | 43 | 10 | 5.3 | $726K | +8.2% | #1,011 of 1,611 |
| 80Panola County, TX | 43 | 6 | 6.7 | $626K | +2.3% | #1,020 of 1,611 |
| 81Wharton County, TX | 43 | 11 | 6.9 | $610K | +1.2% | #1,022 of 1,611 |
| 82Tyler County, TX | 42 | 5 | 7.0 | $499K | +3.1% | #1,056 of 1,611 |
| 83Gregg County, TX | 39 | 24 | 5.0 | $796K | +1.4% | #1,124 of 1,611 |
| 84Young County, TX | 39 | 5 | 6.5 | $588K | +1.7% | #1,130 of 1,611 |
| 85Jasper County, TX | 36 | 7 | 5.1 | $665K | +0.5% | #1,186 of 1,611 |
| 86Titus County, TX | 36 | 6 | 5.4 | $654K | +0.9% | #1,187 of 1,611 |
| 87Val Verde County, TX | 36 | 10 | 5.9 | $620K | +0.5% | #1,191 of 1,611 |
| 88Montague County, TX | 36 | 8 | 9.4 | $415K | +9.6% | #1,201 of 1,611 |
| 89Potter County, TX | 35 | 17 | 4.0 | $883K | −3.3% | #1,205 of 1,611 |
| 90Freestone County, TX | 35 | 7 | 9.9 | $409K | +7.1% | #1,237 of 1,611 |
| 91Jim Wells County, TX | 33 | 5 | 3.8 | $949K | −0.2% | #1,260 of 1,611 |
| 92Wichita County, TX | 31 | 34 | 6.9 | $559K | 0.0% | #1,317 of 1,611 |
| 93Webb County, TX | 30 | 61 | 7.5 | $496K | +5.2% | #1,337 of 1,611 |
| 94Madison County, TX | 26 | 8 | 18.9 | $214K | +5.7% | #1,415 of 1,611 |
| 95Bowie County, TX | 25 | 23 | 6.6 | $583K | −0.2% | #1,416 of 1,611 |
| 96Jackson County, TX | 25 | 8 | 13.3 | $303K | +2.6% | #1,424 of 1,611 |
| 97Angelina County, TX | 23 | 25 | 7.7 | $469K | +1.9% | #1,442 of 1,611 |
| 98Hidalgo County, TX | 22 | 281 | 10.4 | $333K | +5.6% | #1,465 of 1,611 |
| 99Starr County, TX | 19 | 16 | 8.4 | $355K | +0.7% | #1,507 of 1,611 |
| 100Uvalde County, TX | 18 | 7 | 8.3 | $421K | +1.6% | #1,515 of 1,611 |
| 101Maverick County, TX | 18 | 15 | 8.3 | $385K | +1.7% | #1,518 of 1,611 |
| 102Cameron County, TX | 18 | 124 | 9.0 | $371K | +3.0% | #1,520 of 1,611 |
| 103Nolan County, TX | 10 | 5 | 8.5 | $423K | −4.1% | #1,581 of 1,611 |
| 104Kleberg County, TX | 9 | 11 | 9.3 | $380K | −2.2% | #1,586 of 1,611 |
| Kerr County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | $4.8M | +2.5% | |
| Wilson County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 2.2 | $2.5M | +12.2% | |
| Wood County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 2.1 | $1.8M | +10.3% | |
| Fannin County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 2.3 | $1.9M | +9.2% | |
| Hale County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 3.6 | $885K | −2.0% | |
| Bee County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 3.4 | $1.1M | +4.7% | |
| Cass County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 2.5 | $1.4M | +0.7% | |
| San Jacinto County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 3.7 | $1M | +7.1% | |
| Gillespie County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 2.6 | $2M | +6.6% | |
| Fayette County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 2.9 | $1.6M | +3.9% | |
| Shelby County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 2.1 | $1.6M | +1.0% | |
| Limestone County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 4.8 | $745K | +3.2% | |
| Gaines County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 5.8 | $801K | +10.4% | |
| Houston County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 3.8 | $984K | +1.1% | |
| Bandera County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 2.2 | $2M | +9.0% | |
| Moore County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 2.8 | $1.3M | +3.0% | |
| Hockley County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 5.1 | $787K | +0.5% | |
| Gray County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 5.0 | $740K | −1.3% | |
| Colorado County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 3.8 | $1.2M | +3.9% | |
| Lavaca County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 3.5 | $1.1M | +1.5% | |
| Jones County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 3.4 | $1.1M | +6.1% | |
| Hutchinson County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 4.3 | $951K | −4.5% | |
| Willacy County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 3.5 | $939K | −0.8% | |
| DeWitt County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 5.8 | $654K | +2.4% | |
| Calhoun County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 4.6 | $996K | −2.3% | |
| Gonzales County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 5.0 | $679K | +2.5% | |
| Burleson County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 3.8 | $1.1M | +16.2% | |
| Bosque County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 5.3 | $740K | +3.6% | |
| Andrews County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 4.4 | $1.1M | +1.6% | |
| Frio County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 7.4 | $454K | +2.3% | |
| Deaf Smith County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 5.0 | $717K | +0.5% | |
| Eastland County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 2.8 | $1.2M | +1.9% | |
| Falls County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 1.6 | $2.3M | +5.5% | |
| Robertson County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 4.5 | $934K | +6.4% | |
| Scurry County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 6.8 | $545K | −4.5% | |
| Leon County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 3.0 | $1.3M | +7.1% | |
| Karnes County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 4.2 | $1M | +1.4% | |
| Pecos County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 3.8 | $1.1M | −4.1% | |
| Callahan County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 1.9 | $2M | +5.4% | |
| Trinity County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 1.6 | $2M | +5.5% | |
| Comanche County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 5.6 | $624K | +5.9% | |
| Zapata County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 6.6 | $453K | −0.9% | |
| Lamb County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 4.3 | $799K | −3.3% | |
| Camp County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 4.2 | $890K | +7.7% | |
| Rains County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 4.1 | $979K | +11.2% | |
| Reeves County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 4.7 | $816K | −17.8% | |
| Wilbarger County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 2.1 | $1.4M | −2.8% | |
| Blanco County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 3.9 | $1.4M | +18.6% | |
| Dawson County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 4.9 | $719K | −5.6% | |
| Newton County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 2.1 | $1.6M | −1.7% | |
| Morris County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 4.1 | $758K | +1.3% | |
| Terry County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 7.0 | $443K | −0.6% | |
| Live Oak County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 2.3 | $1.7M | +5.1% | |
| Red River County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.2% | |
| Ward County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 4.6 | $894K | −4.7% | |
| Franklin County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 5.1 | $962K | +6.0% | |
| Clay County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 2.3 | $2M | +5.0% | |
| Sabine County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 4.3 | $832K | +1.2% | |
| Runnels County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 7.9 | $450K | −2.2% | |
| Ochiltree County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −6.7% | |
| Duval County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 6.6 | $473K | −4.2% | |
| Marion County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 7.1 | $471K | +0.3% | |
| Parmer County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 3.1 | $1.3M | −1.8% | |
| Somervell County, TX | Not scored | 3 | 8.1 | $609K | +11.5% | |
| Brewster County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 2.0 | $1.6M | −1.1% | |
| Zavala County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 3.1 | $793K | −6.5% | |
| Stephens County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 5.5 | $617K | +3.1% | |
| Mitchell County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 3.6 | $1.1M | −0.7% | |
| Jack County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +12.7% | |
| Archer County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 11.5 | $390K | +6.7% | |
| Hamilton County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 3.2 | $1.1M | +5.2% | |
| Dimmit County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 13.3 | $275K | −6.5% | |
| San Augustine County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 3.4 | $954K | −2.5% | |
| Coleman County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 6.0 | $513K | +3.0% | |
| Yoakum County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 7.7 | $608K | −3.0% | |
| McCulloch County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.6% | |
| Winkler County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 3.6 | $1.2M | −2.8% | |
| Castro County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.4% | |
| Dallam County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.2% | |
| Goliad County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 3.6 | $1.2M | +2.7% | |
| Brooks County, TX | Not scored | 4 | 13.4 | $275K | −7.3% | |
| Swisher County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 4.2 | $682K | −3.5% | |
| Bailey County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 4.5 | $838K | +1.4% | |
| La Salle County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 6.1 | $589K | −1.9% | |
| Childress County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 10.9 | $368K | −0.2% | |
| Refugio County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 8.0 | $383K | −1.3% | |
| Presidio County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −11.0% | |
| Carson County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 4.4 | $1.1M | +0.2% | |
| Lynn County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 4.8 | $960K | +7.3% | |
| San Saba County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 4.8 | $701K | +1.1% | |
| Delta County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 4.6 | $760K | +6.3% | |
| Haskell County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 4.7 | $767K | +1.1% | |
| Martin County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 5.1 | $1.1M | +0.5% | |
| Floyd County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 10.2 | $387K | −9.1% | |
| Hartley County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −8.1% | |
| Hansford County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.9% | |
| Garza County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −22.3% | |
| Crosby County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.8% | |
| Wheeler County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.1% | |
| Jim Hogg County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 7.8 | $377K | −6.0% | |
| Crane County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 6.1 | $602K | −2.5% | |
| Mills County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 5.6 | $704K | +3.0% | |
| Kimble County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.4% | |
| Mason County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 5.8 | $627K | +0.5% | |
| Fisher County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +0.4% | |
| Hardeman County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −7.5% | |
| Baylor County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +0.3% | |
| Hudspeth County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +7.7% | |
| Coke County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.7% | |
| Concho County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 12.3 | $257K | +8.7% | |
| Knox County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.6% | |
| Sutton County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 7.9 | $557K | −4.7% | |
| Donley County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 8.5 | $381K | −1.9% | |
| Hemphill County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −8.4% | |
| Reagan County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −7.5% | |
| Upton County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.1% | |
| Shackelford County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.7% | |
| Kinney County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | 0.0% | |
| Lipscomb County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.8% | |
| Crockett County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 8.2 | $471K | −10.5% | |
| Hall County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.4% | |
| Real County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.1% | |
| Collingsworth County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.9% | |
| Cochran County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.5% | |
| Schleicher County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −7.9% | |
| Sherman County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 11.9 | $356K | −0.1% | |
| Oldham County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.0% | |
| Culberson County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.8% | |
| Menard County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.1% | |
| Jeff Davis County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −13.9% | |
| Armstrong County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.4% | |
| Dickens County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −3.7% | |
| Throckmorton County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +6.7% | |
| Sterling County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.5% | |
| Irion County, TX | Not scored | 2 | 34.0 | $148K | −2.9% | |
| Cottle County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −10.4% | |
| Briscoe County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.8% | |
| Edwards County, TX | Not scored | 1 | 24.8 | $116K | −3.6% | |
| Stonewall County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.7% | |
| Motley County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.8% | |
| Glasscock County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.0% | |
| Foard County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.2% | |
| Terrell County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −6.6% | |
| Roberts County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.2% | |
| Kent County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −11.1% | |
| Borden County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −11.8% | |
| McMullen County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −9.0% | |
| King County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −28.1% | |
| Kenedy County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −8.6% | |
| Loving County, TX | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −17.5% |
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 Texas?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 6,089 child care centers and preschools in Texas. 973 of them (16%) are chain locations. The listings count day care centers and preschools. Official counts show 6,242 businesses with payroll classed as child care services in 2023, up 10.1% from 2019. Another 50,276 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Texas spend on child care and other personal services?
About $5.6B a year, or $507 per household. That is 13% below the U.S. average (an index of 87, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 6,089 child care centers and preschools on map listings, it comes to $916K per center. It is estimated from the incomes of the 10,992,816 households in Texas and national spending patterns by income.
How does Texas compare with the U.S. for child care centers and preschools?
Texas 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 $916K, 9% below the U.S. figure of $1M. At the U.S. ratio of child care centers and preschools to household spending, Texas would have about 5,567, against 6,089 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,761 households, against one for every 1,573 across the U.S. The official count rose 10.1% from 2019 to 2023, against +5.7% for the U.S.
Which market in Texas has the highest market score for child care centers and preschools?
Among 26 scored metro areas in or partly in Texas, the Midland metro area scores highest, at 80 (high). Among 26 scored small-town markets in or partly in Texas, the Brenham area scores highest, at 86 (high). Among 104 scored counties in Texas, Waller County scores highest, at 93 (very 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. Texas scores 65 for child care centers and preschools (upper middle), #10 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 Texas. 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
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- 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 Texas
Screening a site or an acquisition in Texas?
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.