Child Care Centers, Family Child Care & Preschools in Delaware

Delaware is home to 1,078 state-licensed care providers spanning 3 counties and 45 cities. Among rated providers, the average overall quality rating is not available.

45Cities

3Counties

1,078Certified providers

—Avg quality rating

Care type	Providers
Child Care Centers	519	View in Delaware
Family Child Care Homes	494	View in Delaware
Group Child Care Homes	86	View in Delaware
Preschools	65	View in Delaware
Head Start Programs	52	View in Delaware
School-Age Programs	0	—
Child Care Providers	0	—

Cities in Delaware

Wilmington, DE 319 providers Newark, DE 139 providers Dover, DE 105 providers New Castle, DE 97 providers Bear, DE 68 providers Middletown, DE 66 providers Seaford, DE 47 providers Smyrna, DE 35 providers Milford, DE 29 providers Georgetown, DE 27 providers Millsboro, DE 23 providers Bridgeville, DE 22 providers

B

C

D

E

Ellendale

F

G

H

L

M

N

O

R

Rehoboth Beach

S

T

Townsend

W

Counties in Delaware

Choosing care in Delaware

A practical first step is to check licensing status and inspection history, since that is the backbone of what is publicly known about a program. Then look at the things licensing does not measure - group sizes, caregiver consistency, and how the daily rhythm actually feels to your family.

Where you can, visit each option in Delaware, watch how caregivers interact with children, ask how daily updates and pickups are handled, and get costs and schedules confirmed in writing. Steady, engaged caregivers count for as much as any published record.

Frequently asked questions

How many state-licensed providers does Delaware have?

According to current licensing data, Delaware has 1,078 licensed providers: 519 child care centers, 494 family child care homes, and 65 preschools.

How does Delaware score on average quality ratings?

Not every provider in Delaware has a published average rating; open individual facility pages to view quality ratings where available.

Which cities in Delaware have the highest number of care providers?

In the current data, Wilmington, Newark, Dover lead Delaware for certified provider counts. The city list above shows counts.

Data sources

Data source: ChildCare.gov state licensing resources, the state licensing agency data, and Head Start Service Locations (HHS/ACF). Data as of 2026-10-07. This page is informational and is not professional advice.

Required disclosures

For general information only. This website shares public data and general information about child care providers. It does not offer professional advice, and it cannot replace a visit to a provider, a review of public licensing records, or a conversation with the people you trust.

Independent and unaffiliated. DaycareFacilities.org is a private, independently run directory. It is not affiliated with, nor endorsed or operated by, any government agency, child care licensing authority, or child care provider. Government agencies have not reviewed or endorsed this site.

Confirm details before acting. Provider records come from public datasets and may lag or contain errors. Always verify current licensing status, hours, availability, capacity, and costs directly with the provider and with your state or territory licensing agency.

Certain outbound links on this site are partner or affiliate links. If you use them we may receive a commission, and your price does not change. This never influences the data we publish.