Child Care Payment Assistance
Tennessee child care subsidy. Administered by: Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS)
Tennessee state guide
Childcare centers in Tennessee
Tennessee has 2,303 childcare centers and homes in its state licensing records, across 282 cities. Tennessee Department of Human Services, Child Care Services 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 1, 2026 · Source: Tennessee Department of Human Services, Child Care Services (opens in a new tab) public records · How we compile this →
Largest cities for childcare in Tennessee
Ranked by centers and homes on file. Each city page lists every center in that city.
- 01Memphis392 centers and homes
- 02Nashville178 centers and homes
- 03Knoxville149 centers and homes
- 04Chattanooga104 centers and homes
- 05Clarksville96 centers and homes
- 06Murfreesboro64 centers and homes
- 07Franklin37 centers and homes
- 08Jackson36 centers and homes
- 09Cordova32 centers and homes
- 10Kingsport31 centers and homes
- 11Gallatin28 centers and homes
- 12Bartlett27 centers and homes
Centers and homes listed per city, of 2,303 in Tennessee.
All 282 Tennessee citiesAll 282 cities in Tennessee, A to Z
Jump to a letter, or open a group below.
A · 14 cities
B · 16 cities
C · 32 cities
- Camden9 centers
- Carthage3 centers
- Cedar Hill1 center
- Celina1 center
- Centerville3 centers
- Chapel Hill2 centers
- Chattanooga104 centers
- Christiana3 centers
- Church Hill1 center
- Clairfield1 center
- Clarkrange2 centers
- Clarksville96 centers
- Cleveland20 centers
- Clifton1 center
- Clinton4 centers
- Coalmont1 center
- Collegedale2 centers
- Collierville20 centers
- Colliiverville1 center
- Collinwood1 center
- Columbia23 centers
- Cookeville23 centers
- Cordova32 centers
- Cornersville1 center
- Corryton6 centers
- Cosby1 center
- Covington6 centers
- Cross Plains2 centers
- Crossville10 centers
- Culleoka1 center
- Cumberland Gap1 center
- Cunningham2 centers
D · 14 cities
E · 8 cities
F · 6 cities
G · 14 cities
H · 14 cities
J · 8 cities
K · 5 cities
L · 23 cities
- La Vergne10 centers
- Lafayette8 centers
- Lafollette2 centers
- Lake City1 center
- Lakeland3 centers
- Lascassas2 centers
- Lawrenceburg4 centers
- Lebanon21 centers
- Lenior City1 center
- Lenoir City5 centers
- Leoma1 center
- Lewisburg11 centers
- Lexington4 centers
- Limestone1 center
- Linden3 centers
- Livingston6 centers
- Lobelville1 center
- Lookout Mtn1 center
- Loretto1 center
- Louisville3 centers
- Lyles1 center
- Lynchburg2 centers
- Lynnville4 centers
M · 30 cities
- Madison14 centers
- Madisonville7 centers
- Manchester10 centers
- Martin8 centers
- Maryville19 centers
- Mascot2 centers
- Maynardville5 centers
- McDonald1 center
- McKenzie5 centers
- McMinnville21 centers
- Medina4 centers
- Memphis392 centers
- Middleton1 center
- Milan4 centers
- Millersville1 center
- Millington7 centers
- Monteagle1 center
- Monterey4 centers
- Mooresburg1 center
- Morristown15 centers
- Moscow2 centers
- Mosheim2 centers
- Mount Juliet6 centers
- Mountain City1 center
- Mt. Carmel1 center
- Mt. Juliet13 centers
- Mt. Pleasant2 centers
- Munford3 centers
- Murfreeboro1 center
- Murfreesboro64 centers
N · 6 cities
O · 6 cities
P · 16 cities
R · 13 cities
S · 27 cities
- Sale Creek2 centers
- Savannah4 centers
- Selmer1 center
- Sevier1 center
- Sevierville10 centers
- Sewanee1 center
- Seymour8 centers
- Shelbyville16 centers
- Signal Mountain9 centers
- Smithville4 centers
- Smryna1 center
- Smyrna19 centers
- Sneedville3 centers
- Soddy Daisy8 centers
- Somerville3 centers
- South Fulton3 centers
- South Pittsburg5 centers
- Sparta7 centers
- Speedwell1 center
- Spencer1 center
- Spring City4 centers
- Spring Hill11 centers
- Springfield6 centers
- Strawberry Plains1 center
- Summertown3 centers
- Surgoinsville3 centers
- Sweetwater2 centers
T · 9 cities
W · 16 cities
Tennessee childcare centers by county
95 Tennessee counties have licensed centers or homes on file, ranked here by how many. Shelby County has the most, with 505 centers and homes.
- Shelby County505 centers and homes
- Davidson County237 centers and homes
- Knox County163 centers and homes
- Hamilton County152 centers and homes
- Rutherford County104 centers and homes
- Montgomery County101 centers and homes
- Williamson County72 centers and homes
- Sumner County61 centers and homes
- Sullivan County46 centers and homes
- Wilson County43 centers and homes
- Madison County38 centers and homes
- Washington County32 centers and homes
- Putnam County31 centers and homes
- Maury County29 centers and homes
- Gibson County27 centers and homes
- Blount County24 centers and homes
- Coffee County24 centers and homes
- Sevier County24 centers and homes
All 95 Tennessee counties, A to Z
- Anderson County14 centers and homes
- Bedford County18 centers and homes
- Benton County9 centers and homes
- Bledsoe County2 centers and homes
- Blount County24 centers and homes
- Bradley County21 centers and homes
- Campbell County5 centers and homes
- Cannon County2 centers and homes
- Carroll County9 centers and homes
- Carter County7 centers and homes
- Cheatham County10 centers and homes
- Chester County3 centers and homes
- Claiborne County8 centers and homes
- Clay County3 centers and homes
- Cocke County12 centers and homes
- Coffee County24 centers and homes
- Crockett County5 centers and homes
- Cumberland County10 centers and homes
- Davidson County237 centers and homes
- Decatur County2 centers and homes
- DeKalb County5 centers and homes
- Dickson County10 centers and homes
- Dyer County19 centers and homes
- Fayette County10 centers and homes
- Fentress County5 centers and homes
- Franklin County11 centers and homes
- Gibson County27 centers and homes
- Giles County16 centers and homes
- Grainger County4 centers and homes
- Greene County13 centers and homes
- Grundy County4 centers and homes
- Hamblen County16 centers and homes
- Hamilton County152 centers and homes
- Hancock County2 centers and homes
- Hardeman County10 centers and homes
- Hardin County4 centers and homes
- Hawkins County14 centers and homes
- Haywood County3 centers and homes
- Henderson County4 centers and homes
- Henry County11 centers and homes
- Hickman County4 centers and homes
- Houston County2 centers and homes
- Humphreys County3 centers and homes
- Jackson County4 centers and homes
- Jefferson County9 centers and homes
- Johnson County1 center or home
- Knox County163 centers and homes
- Lake County2 centers and homes
- Lauderdale County6 centers and homes
- Lawrence County11 centers and homes
- Lewis County4 centers and homes
- Lincoln County8 centers and homes
- Loudon County7 centers and homes
- Macon County9 centers and homes
- Madison County38 centers and homes
- Marion County13 centers and homes
- Marshall County14 centers and homes
- Maury County29 centers and homes
- McMinn County8 centers and homes
- McNairy County2 centers and homes
- Meigs County1 center or home
- Monroe County9 centers and homes
- Montgomery County101 centers and homes
- Moore County2 centers and homes
- Morgan County2 centers and homes
- Obion County13 centers and homes
- Overton County6 centers and homes
- Perry County4 centers and homes
- Pickett County1 center or home
- Polk County2 centers and homes
- Putnam County31 centers and homes
- Rhea County11 centers and homes
- Roane County4 centers and homes
- Robertson County19 centers and homes
- Rutherford County104 centers and homes
- Scott County12 centers and homes
- Sequatchie County7 centers and homes
- Sevier County24 centers and homes
- Shelby County505 centers and homes
- Smith County5 centers and homes
- Stewart County4 centers and homes
- Sullivan County46 centers and homes
- Sumner County61 centers and homes
- Tipton County13 centers and homes
- Trousdale County4 centers and homes
- Unicoi County4 centers and homes
- Union County7 centers and homes
- Van Buren County1 center or home
- Warren County22 centers and homes
- Washington County32 centers and homes
- Wayne County5 centers and homes
- Weakley County16 centers and homes
- White County8 centers and homes
- Williamson County72 centers and homes
- Wilson County43 centers and homes
License types in Tennessee
Tennessee’s licensing records use these categories. Each listing shows which one applies.
Child Care Center
1,863 listingsGroup Child Care Home
283 listingsFamily Child Care Home
148 listingsDrop-in Child Care Center
9 listings
How to check a daycare license in Tennessee
Every licensed center in Tennessee has a public record with Tennessee Department of Human Services, Child Care Services. Here is how to read it.
Search the state’s site
Open Child Care Locator Map (opens in a new tab) and look the center up by name and city. Confirm the license type and that its status is active.
Read the inspection information
Open the center’s record and read whatever inspection or compliance information the state posts for it.
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 Child Care Locator Map (opens in a new tab)
Each Clear Day center page in Tennesseelinks to that center’s state record when the state publishes one, so step 3 starts one click from step 1.
Paying for childcare in Tennessee
These programs help Tennessee families pay for care. Which one fits depends on income, your child’s age and where you live.
Voluntary Pre-K
Tennessee pre-K. Administered by: Tennessee Department of Education
Head Start and Early Head Start
Federal programs for families with low incomes, from pregnancy through age five.
Frequently asked questions about childcare in Tennessee
Answers use the numbers on this page, as of October 1, 2026.
How many childcare centers are in Tennessee?
Tennessee has 2,303 childcare centers and homes in the state licensing records Clear Day reads, across 282 cities. Memphis has the most, with 392, followed by Nashville (178) and Knoxville (149).
How do I check if a daycare is licensed in Tennessee?
Look the center up in Child Care Locator Map, 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 Tennessee help pay for childcare?
Yes. Tennessee's child care subsidy program is Child Care Payment Assistance. Public pre-K is a separate option: Voluntary Pre-K.
What is Quality Rating Improvement System?
Quality Rating Improvement System is Tennessee'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 Tennessee Department of Human Services, 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 1, 2026. Each center page shows its own record date. See the methodology for details.
For center directors
Run a center in Tennessee?
Your center is already listed here, built from state records. Claim it free and get a free enrollment website built from your listing.
Other state guides
Tennessee is one of 35 states in the directory: 173,052 centers and homes across 13,878 cities. Each state has its own guide with its own rules, agency and license lookup.
- New York17,433 centers and homes
- Texas15,702 centers and homes
- California13,334 centers and homes
- Florida11,913 centers and homes
- Massachusetts9,440 centers and homes
- Ohio8,707 centers and homes
- Minnesota7,814 centers and homes
- Michigan7,700 centers and homes
- Pennsylvania7,670 centers and homes
- Georgia6,970 centers and homes
- Maryland6,595 centers and homes
- North Carolina5,084 centers and homes
- Wisconsin4,687 centers and homes
- Colorado4,602 centers and homes
- New Jersey4,083 centers and homes
- Connecticut3,983 centers and homes
- Virginia3,569 centers and homes
- Iowa3,203 centers and homes
- Nebraska2,652 centers and homes
- Oklahoma2,636 centers and homes
- Missouri2,619 centers and homes
- Washington2,581 centers and homes
- Arizona2,536 centers and homes
- South Carolina2,300 centers and homes
- Idaho2,149 centers and homes
- Kentucky2,001 centers and homes
- Alabama1,841 centers and homes
- Utah1,793 centers and homes
- Delaware1,260 centers and homes
- North Dakota1,088 centers and homes
- Vermont1,048 centers and homes
- South Dakota714 centers and homes
- Nevada590 centers and homes
- District of Columbia452 centers and homes
- All 35 states173,052 centers and homes
Where this data comes from
Center records come from Tennessee Department of Human Services, Child Care Services public records. Every percentage on this page names the number of Tennessee centers it is counted over. This page is a guide, not legal advice. Clear Day does not rate, rank or review centers.
- Last updated
- October 1, 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 Tennessee Department of Human Services, Child Care Services or contact the center directly. Clear Day does not rate, rank or endorse any center.
Data updated Oct 1, 2026 · Source: Tennessee Department of Human Services, Child Care Services public records · Tennessee license lookup (opens in a new tab) · How we compile this →