The Carfax for Daycares
Know Before You Enroll
Real inspection data for 91,440 daycares. No paid placements. No marketing fluff.
Built on official state inspection records · No paid placements · Updated regularly
One grade. Four dimensions of care.
Each facility is scored 0-100 across health, safety, staffing, and compliance, then assigned a letter grade.
Why Parents Trust DaycareCheck
State Inspection Data
Real inspection results from state licensing agencies. See every violation, severity level, and resolution.
A-F Safety Grades
Our grading algorithm scores health, safety, staffing, and compliance from actual inspection records.
Cost Comparison
County-level childcare cost data by age group. Know what you should be paying in your area.
Side-by-Side Compare
Compare up to 4 daycares on every metric that matters. Shareable comparison links.
Browse by State
91,440 daycares graded A-F from real state inspection data.
Popular Cities
Top metro areas by number of graded facilities.
Bronx, NY
3,769 facilities
Brooklyn, NY
2,616 facilities
Houston, TX
1,655 facilities
Los Angeles, CA
1,635 facilities
New York, NY
1,211 facilities
San Diego, CA
1,113 facilities
Cincinnati, OH
1,066 facilities
San Jose, CA
816 facilities
San Francisco, CA
811 facilities
San Antonio, TX
774 facilities
Sacramento, CA
699 facilities
Columbus, OH
698 facilities
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find the best daycare near me?
Search by name, address, or ZIP code on DaycareCheck to compare daycares using real state inspection data. Each facility is graded A-F based on health inspections, safety violations, staffing compliance, and licensing status.
What is a good daycare safety rating?
On DaycareCheck's A-F scale, an A grade (score 90-100) indicates excellent performance with few or no violations. Look at multiple factors: violation severity, frequency of inspections, staffing compliance, and whether violations are repeated across inspections.
How much does daycare cost?
The national average cost for center-based infant care is approximately $1,300 per month. Costs vary significantly by state, county, age group, and care type (center vs family home). Use DaycareCheck's Cost Calculator for county-specific estimates.
What do daycare inspection reports show?
Inspection reports document violations found during state licensing visits. Violations are categorized by type (health, safety, staffing, compliance) and severity (critical, serious, minor). DaycareCheck aggregates this data into an easy-to-read safety grade.
How does DaycareCheck grade daycares?
DaycareCheck assigns A-F grades using a weighted composite score from 0 to 100. The score combines health (30%), safety (30%), staffing (25%), and compliance (15%) based on real state inspection data. Recent violations count more heavily, and repeat violations receive additional penalties.
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Enter your ZIP code and we'll notify you when daycares nearby receive new inspections, violations, or grade changes.
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