New York state guide

Childcare centers in New York

New York has 17,647 childcare centers and homes in its state licensing records, across 1,097 cities, with about 705,000 licensed seats at the 17,090 centers that report capacity. New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Division of Child Care Services handles licensing, except New York City programs, which the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene permits instead of OCFS. Ratios and rules here are quoted from 18 NYCRR §418-1.8. This guide covers the rules that apply, how to check a license, how subsidy works, and how to find a center in your city.

Data updated October 28, 2026 · Source: New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Division of Child Care Services (opens in a new tab) public records · How we compile this →

Largest cities for childcare in New York

Ranked by centers and homes on file. Each city page lists every center in that city.
  1. Bronx3,878 centers and homes
  2. Brooklyn2,238 centers and homes
  3. New York1,000 centers and homes
  4. Rochester608 centers and homes
  5. Staten Island292 centers and homes
  6. Yonkers289 centers and homes
Show 6 more
  1. Syracuse245 centers and homes
  2. Buffalo226 centers and homes
  3. Jamaica204 centers and homes
  4. Freeport152 centers and homes
  5. Flushing144 centers and homes
  6. Hempstead142 centers and homes

Centers and homes listed per city, of 17,647 in New York.

All 1,097 New York cities

All 1,097 cities in New York, A to Z

Jump to a letter, or open a group below.

A · 49 cities

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B · 84 cities

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C · 106 cities

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D · 29 cities

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E · 49 cities

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F · 36 cities

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G · 51 cities

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H · 69 cities

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I · 11 cities

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J · 13 cities

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K · 15 cities

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L · 55 cities

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M · 93 cities

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N · 59 cities

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O · 26 cities

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P · 62 cities

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Q · 5 cities

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R · 45 cities

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S · 107 cities

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T · 20 cities

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U · 5 cities

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V · 11 cities

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W · 91 cities

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Y · 6 cities

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New York childcare centers by county

62 New York counties have licensed centers or homes on file, ranked here by how many. Bronx has the most, with 3,887 centers and homes.
  1. Bronx3,887 centers and homes
  2. Brooklyn2,248 centers and homes
  3. Queens1,683 centers and homes
  4. Nassau County1,290 centers and homes
  5. Manhattan1,030 centers and homes
  6. Suffolk County964 centers and homes
  7. Westchester County922 centers and homes
  8. Monroe County731 centers and homes
  9. Erie County484 centers and homes
  10. Onondaga County424 centers and homes
  11. Staten Island295 centers and homes
  12. Rockland County277 centers and homes
  13. Orange County244 centers and homes
  14. Albany County243 centers and homes
  15. Dutchess County223 centers and homes
  16. Oneida County190 centers and homes
  17. Schenectady County171 centers and homes
  18. Saratoga County152 centers and homes
All 62 New York counties, A to Z

License types in New York

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

New York child care ratios

New York sets a maximum number of children per staff member for each age in licensed child care centers. Each row cites the regulation it comes from.
New York ratios by age
Maximum children per staff member in licensed child care centers, by age, with the rule cited on each row
AgeStaff : childrenRule
0–17 months1:418 NYCRR §418-1.8(k) (6 weeks-18 months) (opens in a new tab)
18–35 months1:518 NYCRR §418-1.8(k) (18-36 months) (opens in a new tab)
3 years1:718 NYCRR §418-1.8(k) (3 years) (opens in a new tab)
4 years1:818 NYCRR §418-1.8(k) (4 years) (opens in a new tab)
5 years1:918 NYCRR §418-1.8(k) (5 years) (opens in a new tab)

These are the state’s minimums for licensed child care centers, and a center can staff richer. Read the linked rule text before relying on a figure: regulations change.

How to check a daycare license in New York

Every licensed center in New York has a public state record. Here is how to read it.

  1. Search the state’s site

    Open OCFS Regulated Child Care Search (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 OCFS Regulated Child Care Search (opens in a new tab)

NYC Child Care Connect covers New York City programs, which the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene permits instead of OCFS: open NYC Child Care Connect (opens in a new tab).

Each Clear Day center page in New Yorklinks 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 York

These programs help New York 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 Start8 of 8 centers reporting

100%accept Early Head Start14 of 14 centers reporting

Head Start locator (opens in a new tab)

Frequently asked questions about childcare in New York

Answers use the numbers on this page, as of October 28, 2026.
How many childcare centers are in New York?

New York has 17,647 childcare centers and homes in the state licensing records Clear Day reads, across 1,097 cities. Bronx has the most, with 3,878, followed by Brooklyn (2,238) and New York (1,000).

What is the child-to-staff ratio for infants in New York?

For children 0–17 months in licensed child care centers, New York allows up to 4 children per staff member, a ratio of 1:4 under 18 NYCRR §418-1.8(k) (6 weeks-18 months). For 18–35 months it is 1:5. The full table is on this page.

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

Look the center up in OCFS Regulated Child Care Search, the state's public license lookup. Confirm the license is active, then read whatever inspection or compliance information the state posts for that center. NYC Child Care Connect covers New York City programs, which the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene permits instead of OCFS. Clear Day center pages link to the state's record for that center when the state publishes one.

Does New York help pay for childcare?

Yes. New York's child care subsidy program is Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). Public pre-K is a separate option: Universal Prekindergarten.

What is QUALITYstarsNY?

QUALITYstarsNY is New York'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 York State Office of Children and Family Services, Division of Child Care Services 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 28, 2026. Each center page shows its own record date. See the methodology for details.

How we compile the data →

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Other state guides

New York 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 York State Office of Children and Family Services, Division of Child Care Services public records. Every percentage on this page names the number of New York centers it is counted over. Requirements are quoted from 18 NYCRR §418-1.8 and cited beside each one. This page is a guide, not legal advice. Clear Day does not rate, rank or review centers.

Read the full methodology →

Last updated
October 28, 2026
Agency
New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Division of Child Care Services (opens in a new tab)
Rule
18 NYCRR §418-1.8 (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 York State Office of Children and Family Services, Division of Child Care Services or contact the center directly. Clear Day does not rate, rank or endorse any center.

Data updated Oct 28, 2026 · Source: New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Division of Child Care Services public records · New York license lookup (opens in a new tab) · How we compile this →