New Jersey state guide

Childcare centers in New Jersey

New Jersey has 4,090 childcare centers and homes in its state licensing records, across 572 cities, with about 408,000 licensed seats at the 4,081 centers that report capacity. New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Office of Licensing handles licensing. This guide covers how to check a license, how subsidy works, and how to find a center in your city.

Data updated October 31, 2026 · Source: New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Office of Licensing (opens in a new tab) public records · How we compile this →

Largest cities for childcare in New Jersey

Ranked by centers and homes on file. Each city page lists every center in that city.
  1. Jersey City170 centers and homes
  2. Newark119 centers and homes
  3. Paterson72 centers and homes
  4. Union City54 centers and homes
  5. Clifton53 centers and homes
  6. Trenton49 centers and homes
Show 6 more
  1. East Orange47 centers and homes
  2. Edison47 centers and homes
  3. Hoboken46 centers and homes
  4. Irvington46 centers and homes
  5. Elizabeth44 centers and homes
  6. Camden40 centers and homes

Centers and homes listed per city, of 4,090 in New Jersey.

All 572 New Jersey cities

All 572 cities in New Jersey, A to Z

Jump to a letter, or open a group below.

A · 17 cities

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B · 46 cities

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C · 35 cities

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D · 11 cities

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E · 25 cities

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F · 23 cities

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G · 19 cities

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H · 40 cities

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I · 3 cities

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J · 4 cities

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K · 7 cities

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L · 37 cities

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M · 63 cities

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N · 25 cities

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O · 15 cities

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P · 47 cities

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Q · 2 cities

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R · 28 cities

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S · 47 cities

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T · 13 cities

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U · 6 cities

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V · 7 cities

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W · 51 cities

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Y · 1 city

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New Jersey childcare centers by county

21 New Jersey counties have licensed centers or homes on file, ranked here by how many. Essex County has the most, with 463 centers and homes.
  1. Essex County463 centers and homes
  2. Bergen County437 centers and homes
  3. Hudson County407 centers and homes
  4. Middlesex County355 centers and homes
  5. Union County276 centers and homes
  6. Monmouth County259 centers and homes
  7. Passaic County253 centers and homes
  8. Morris County237 centers and homes
  9. Camden County229 centers and homes
  10. Mercer County190 centers and homes
  11. Ocean County167 centers and homes
  12. Somerset County154 centers and homes
  13. Burlington County151 centers and homes
  14. Gloucester County120 centers and homes
  15. Atlantic County98 centers and homes
  16. Cumberland County77 centers and homes
  17. Hunterdon County62 centers and homes
  18. Sussex County57 centers and homes
All 21 New Jersey counties, A to Z

License types in New Jersey

New Jersey’s licensing records use these categories. Each listing shows which one applies.

  • Child Care Center

    4,081 listings

How to check a daycare license in New Jersey

Every licensed center in New Jersey has a public record with New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Office of Licensing. Here is how to read it.

  1. Search the state’s site

    Open NJ Child Care Explorer (opens in a new tab) and look the center up by name and city. Confirm the license type and that its status is active.

  2. Read the inspection information

    Open the center’s record and read whatever inspection or compliance information the state posts for it.

  3. Compare with Clear Day’s center page

    Our page shows the license type and capacity next to the hours and programs the center lists, so you can weigh the state’s record beside what the center offers.

Open NJ Child Care Explorer (opens in a new tab)

Each Clear Day center page in New Jerseylinks to that center’s state record when the state publishes one, so step 3 starts one click from step 1.

Paying for childcare in New Jersey

These programs help New Jersey families pay for care. Which one fits depends on income, your child’s age and where you live.

Head Start and Early Head Start

Federal programs for families with low incomes, from pregnancy through age five.

100%accept Head Start17 of 17 centers reporting

100%accept Early Head Start16 of 16 centers reporting

Head Start locator (opens in a new tab)

Frequently asked questions about childcare in New Jersey

Answers use the numbers on this page, as of October 31, 2026.
How many childcare centers are in New Jersey?

New Jersey has 4,090 childcare centers and homes in the state licensing records Clear Day reads, across 572 cities. Jersey City has the most, with 170, followed by Newark (119) and Paterson (72).

How do I check if a daycare is licensed in New Jersey?

Look the center up in NJ Child Care Explorer, the state's public license lookup. Confirm the license is active, then read whatever inspection or compliance information the state posts for that center. Clear Day center pages link to the state's record for that center when the state publishes one.

Does New Jersey help pay for childcare?

Yes. New Jersey's child care subsidy program is Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).

What is Grow NJ Kids?

Grow NJ Kids is New Jersey's quality rating program for child care. The ratings are the state's. Clear Day does not rate or review centers.

Where does this data come from?

Center records come from New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Office of Licensing public records. Every share on the page names the number of centers it is counted over, and the methodology page explains how.

When was this data last updated?

The state records on this page were last imported October 31, 2026. Each center page shows its own record date. See the methodology for details.

How we compile the data →

For center directors

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Other state guides

New Jersey is one of 36 states in the directory: 174,784 centers and homes across 14,128 cities. Each state has its own guide with its own rules, agency and license lookup.

Where this data comes from

Center records come from New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Office of Licensing public records. Every percentage on this page names the number of New Jersey centers it is counted over. This page is a guide, not legal advice. Clear Day does not rate, rank or review centers.

Read the full methodology →

Last updated
October 31, 2026
Agency
New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Office of Licensing (opens in a new tab)

This information is sourced from public records and may be incomplete or out of date. For the most current and accurate details, please verify directly with New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Office of Licensing or contact the center directly. Clear Day does not rate, rank or endorse any center.

Data updated Oct 31, 2026 · Source: New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Office of Licensing public records · New Jersey license lookup (opens in a new tab) · How we compile this →

This publication was developed using New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Geographic Information System digital data, but this secondary product has not been verified by NJDEP and is not state-authorized or endorsed.