Ohio state guide

Childcare centers in Ohio

Ohio has 8,707 childcare centers and homes in its state licensing records, across 853 cities. This guide covers how to find a center in your city.

Data updated September 30, 2026 · Source: state licensing public records · How we compile this →

Largest cities for childcare in Ohio

Ranked by centers and homes on file. Each city page lists every center in that city.

Show 6 more

Centers and homes listed per city, of 8,707 in Ohio.

All 853 Ohio cities

All 853 cities in Ohio, A to Z

Jump to a letter, or open a group below.

Ohio childcare centers by county

88 Ohio counties have licensed centers or homes on file, ranked here by how many. Hamilton County has the most, with 1,224 centers and homes.

All 88 Ohio counties, A to Z

License types in Ohio

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

Child care center
4,237 listings
A place that is not the permanent residence of the licensee or administrator, where child care is provided for seven or more children at one time. Source: Ohio Revised Code §5104.01 (opens in a new tab)
Type B family child care home
1,625 listings
The provider's permanent residence, where care is provided for one to seven children at one time, with no more than three under age two. Source: Ohio Revised Code §5104.01 (opens in a new tab)
Preschool program
1,494 listings
A child care program for preschool children run by a school district or an eligible nonpublic school, or, for children age three or older, by a county board of developmental disabilities or a community school. Source: Ohio Revised Code §3301.52 (opens in a new tab)
Type A family child care home
333 listings
The administrator's permanent residence, where child care is provided for eight to fourteen children at one time (four to fourteen if four or more are under age two). Source: Ohio Revised Code §5104.01 (opens in a new tab)
School-age child care
241 listings
A child care program for school children (enrolled in or eligible for kindergarten or above, and under 15) run by a school district, community school or other school-based operator, or by an authorized private before- and after-school program. Source: Ohio Revised Code §3301.52 (opens in a new tab)

Paying for childcare in Ohio

Federal help for families with low incomes, and how to find it in Ohio.

Head Start and Early Head Start

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

Head Start locator (opens in a new tab)

Frequently asked questions about childcare in Ohio

Answers use the numbers on this page, as of September 30, 2026.

How many childcare centers are in Ohio?

Ohio has 8,707 childcare centers and homes in the state licensing records Clear Day reads, across 853 cities. Cincinnati has the most, with 1,158, followed by Columbus (780) and Cleveland (506).

What kinds of childcare are listed in Ohio?

The Ohio records in our directory include Child care center (4,237), Type B family child care home (1,625), Preschool program (1,494), and Type A family child care home (333).

Where does this data come from?

Center records come from state 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 September 30, 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

Ohio is one of 16 states in the directory: 100,804 centers and homes across 7,976 cities. Each state has its own guide with its own rules, agency and license lookup.

Where this data comes from

Center records come from Ohio's public licensing records. Every percentage on this page names the number of Ohio 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: September 30, 2026

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 your state licensing authority or contact the center directly. Clear Day does not rate, rank or endorse any center.

Data updated Sep 30, 2026 · Source: state licensing public records · How we compile this →

Childcare centers in Ohio

Largest cities for childcare in Ohio

All 853 cities in Ohio, A to Z

A · 34 cities

B · 69 cities

C · 86 cities

D · 21 cities

E · 20 cities

F · 30 cities

G · 41 cities

H · 34 cities

I · 3 cities

J · 12 cities

K · 12 cities

L · 44 cities

M · 93 cities

N · 61 cities

O · 20 cities

P · 41 cities

R · 27 cities

S · 80 cities

T · 17 cities

U · 14 cities

V · 10 cities

W · 79 cities

X · 1 city

Y · 2 cities

Z · 2 cities

Ohio childcare centers by county

License types in Ohio