Market rankings · Washington
Child care centers and preschools in Washington
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Washington, ranked by the Groundwork market score for child care centers and preschools, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 2,010
- 194 chain locations (10%)
- Official establishments
- 2,386
- +7.4% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $2.6B
- On child care and other personal services
- Listings per 10k households
- 6.6
- 14% above the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $1.3M
- 30% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #7 of 51
- Market score 70 · Upper middle
A site report maps the child care centers and preschools on map listings around any address in Washington 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
Washington has 2,010 child care centers and preschools on map listings as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 10% of them, against 12% across the U.S. That comes to 6.6 for every 10,000 households, 14% above the U.S. rate of 5.8.
At $852 per household (47% above the U.S. average), households in Washington spend about $2.6B a year on child care and other personal services. That works out to $1.3M per center, 30% above the U.S. figure of $1M.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as child care services in Washington was 2,386 in 2023, up 7.4% from 2019. That is one for every 1,285 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, 95 SBA-backed loans worth $131.1M have gone to businesses classed as child care services in Washington.
Among the 50 states and DC, Washington ranks #7 for child care centers and preschools, with a Groundwork market score of 70 (upper middle). Of the 13 scored metro areas in or partly in Washington, the Bellingham metro area scores highest (81). Of the 8 scored small-town markets in or partly in Washington, the Centralia area scores highest (90).
Every market in Washington for child care centers and preschools
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Washington, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Bellingham, WA | 81 | 45 | 4.8 | $1.5M | +3.9% | #17 of 387 |
| 2Longview-Kelso, WA | 79 | 18 | 4.1 | $1.5M | +3.5% | #21 of 387 |
| 3Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 75 | 109 | 4.6 | $1.4M | +3.5% | #34 of 387 |
| 4Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 72 | 65 | 6.0 | $1.4M | +2.7% | #44 of 387 |
| 5Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 71 | 21 | 4.4 | $1.6M | +5.0% | #52 of 387 |
| 6Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 65 | 28 | 5.4 | $1.4M | +2.4% | #82 of 387 |
| 7Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 64 | 1,277 | 7.9 | $1.3M | +3.3% | #88 of 387 |
| 8Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 64 | 76 | 6.4 | $1.2M | +2.8% | #89 of 387 |
| 9Kennewick-Richland, WA | 61 | 70 | 6.5 | $1.1M | +6.5% | #108 of 387 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 53 | 751 | 7.4 | $1.1M | +1.0% | #175 of 387 |
| 10Walla Walla, WA | 50 | 15 | 6.4 | $970K | −0.4% | #192 of 387 |
| 11Yakima, WA | 44 | 47 | 5.4 | $1M | +1.0% | #237 of 387 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | 33 | 20 | 7.5 | $785K | +1.5% | #309 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Centralia, WA | 90 | 13 | 3.9 | $1.5M | +6.7% | #2 of 454 |
| 2Shelton, WA | 89 | 15 | 5.8 | $1.2M | +7.8% | #5 of 454 |
| 3Ellensburg, WA | 82 | 10 | 5.0 | $1.3M | +4.2% | #12 of 454 |
| 4Pullman, WA | 81 | 6 | 3.2 | $1.8M | +1.5% | #14 of 454 |
| 5Aberdeen, WA | 78 | 14 | 4.6 | $1.1M | +3.0% | #28 of 454 |
| 6Oak Harbor, WA | 77 | 19 | 5.3 | $1.4M | −1.5% | #32 of 454 |
| 7Port Angeles, WA | 71 | 17 | 4.9 | $1.2M | +1.1% | #65 of 454 |
| 8Moses Lake, WA | 65 | 19 | 5.4 | $1.1M | +6.3% | #113 of 454 |
| Port Townsend, WA | Not scored | 3 | 1.8 | $3.6M | +2.7% | |
| Othello, WA | Not scored | 2 | 3.2 | $1.8M | +4.3% |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Stevens County, WA | 90 | 6 | 3.1 | $1.9M | +6.6% | #16 of 1,611 |
| 2Lewis County, WA | 87 | 13 | 3.9 | $1.5M | +6.7% | #27 of 1,611 |
| 3Mason County, WA | 85 | 15 | 5.8 | $1.2M | +7.8% | #41 of 1,611 |
| 4Whatcom County, WA | 81 | 45 | 4.8 | $1.5M | +3.9% | #70 of 1,611 |
| 5Clark County, WA | 80 | 82 | 4.2 | $1.9M | +5.3% | #78 of 1,611 |
| 6Cowlitz County, WA | 80 | 18 | 4.1 | $1.5M | +3.5% | #80 of 1,611 |
| 7Kittitas County, WA | 79 | 10 | 5.0 | $1.3M | +4.2% | #101 of 1,611 |
| 8Whitman County, WA | 78 | 6 | 3.2 | $1.8M | +1.5% | #108 of 1,611 |
| 9Spokane County, WA | 75 | 103 | 4.7 | $1.4M | +3.2% | #154 of 1,611 |
| 10Island County, WA | 75 | 19 | 5.3 | $1.4M | −1.5% | #155 of 1,611 |
| 11Kitsap County, WA | 74 | 65 | 6.0 | $1.4M | +2.7% | #171 of 1,611 |
| 12Chelan County, WA | 73 | 14 | 4.4 | $1.6M | +3.3% | #188 of 1,611 |
| 13Douglas County, WA | 73 | 7 | 4.4 | $1.6M | +8.0% | #189 of 1,611 |
| 14Grays Harbor County, WA | 73 | 14 | 4.6 | $1.1M | +3.0% | #196 of 1,611 |
| 15Pierce County, WA | 72 | 216 | 6.1 | $1.3M | +2.5% | #210 of 1,611 |
| 16Klickitat County, WA | 72 | 7 | 7.1 | $879K | +6.6% | #225 of 1,611 |
| 17Snohomish County, WA | 71 | 245 | 7.7 | $1.2M | +4.9% | #234 of 1,611 |
| 18Pacific County, WA | 71 | 6 | 5.5 | $1M | +3.6% | #241 of 1,611 |
| 19Benton County, WA | 70 | 45 | 5.8 | $1.3M | +6.9% | #256 of 1,611 |
| 20San Juan County, WA | 69 | 6 | 6.7 | $1.1M | +4.2% | #288 of 1,611 |
| 21Skagit County, WA | 68 | 28 | 5.4 | $1.4M | +2.4% | #306 of 1,611 |
| 22Thurston County, WA | 68 | 76 | 6.4 | $1.2M | +2.8% | #308 of 1,611 |
| 23Okanogan County, WA | 66 | 6 | 3.4 | $1.6M | +7.3% | #353 of 1,611 |
| 24Clallam County, WA | 65 | 17 | 4.9 | $1.2M | +1.1% | #389 of 1,611 |
| 25King County, WA | 64 | 816 | 8.7 | $1.3M | +3.1% | #419 of 1,611 |
Show all 39 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Grant County, WA | 60 | 19 | 5.4 | $1.1M | +6.3% | #536 of 1,611 |
| 27Walla Walla County, WA | 55 | 15 | 6.4 | $970K | −0.4% | #682 of 1,611 |
| 28Asotin County, WA | 54 | 6 | 6.3 | $980K | +1.0% | #712 of 1,611 |
| 29Franklin County, WA | 51 | 25 | 8.4 | $843K | +5.6% | #797 of 1,611 |
| 30Yakima County, WA | 48 | 47 | 5.4 | $1M | +1.0% | #867 of 1,611 |
| Jefferson County, WA | Not scored | 3 | 1.8 | $3.6M | +2.7% | |
| Adams County, WA | Not scored | 2 | 3.2 | $1.8M | +4.3% | |
| Pend Oreille County, WA | Not scored | 2 | 3.4 | $1.7M | +7.1% | |
| Skamania County, WA | Not scored | 4 | 8.0 | $961K | +5.2% | |
| Lincoln County, WA | Not scored | 1 | 2.1 | $2.8M | +9.7% | |
| Ferry County, WA | Not scored | 1 | 3.2 | $1.4M | +4.4% | |
| Wahkiakum County, WA | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +9.6% | |
| Columbia County, WA | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +4.7% | |
| Garfield County, WA | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.2% |
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 Washington?
Map listings as of September 2026 show 2,010 child care centers and preschools in Washington. 194 of them (10%) are chain locations. The listings count day care centers and preschools. Official counts show 2,386 businesses with payroll classed as child care services in 2023, up 7.4% from 2019. Official counts also show 7,636 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in Washington spend on child care and other personal services?
About $2.6B a year, or $852 per household. That is 47% above the U.S. average (an index of 147, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 2,010 child care centers and preschools on map listings, it comes to $1.3M per center. It is estimated from the incomes of the 3,064,820 households in Washington and national spending patterns by income.
How does Washington compare with the U.S. for child care centers and preschools?
Washington has 6.6 child care centers and preschools per 10,000 households, 14% above the U.S. rate of 5.8. Spending per center is $1.3M, 30% above the U.S. figure of $1M. At the U.S. ratio of child care centers and preschools to household spending, Washington would have about 2,607, against 2,010 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,285 households, against one for every 1,573 across the U.S. The official count rose 7.4% from 2019 to 2023, against +5.7% for the U.S.
Which market in Washington has the highest market score for child care centers and preschools?
Among 13 scored metro areas in or partly in Washington, the Bellingham metro area scores highest, at 81 (high). Among 8 scored small-town markets in or partly in Washington, the Centralia area scores highest, at 90 (very high). Among 30 scored counties in Washington, Stevens County scores highest, at 90 (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. Washington scores 70 for child care centers and preschools (upper middle), #7 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 Washington. 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
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
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- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for child care centers and preschools across the U.S. · All business types in Washington
Screening a site or an acquisition in Washington?
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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.