Child Care Centers, Family Child Care & Preschools in Iowa

Iowa is home to 3,163 state-licensed care providers spanning 111 counties and 506 cities. Among rated providers, the average overall quality rating is not available.

506Cities

111Counties

3,163Certified providers

—Avg quality rating

Care type	Providers
Child Care Centers	1,085	View in Iowa
Family Child Care Homes	1,789	View in Iowa
Group Child Care Homes	0	—
Preschools	289	View in Iowa
Head Start Programs	286	View in Iowa
School-Age Programs	1	View in Iowa
Child Care Providers	60	View in Iowa

Cities in Iowa

Des Moines, IA 397 providers Davenport, IA 147 providers Cedar Rapids, IA 141 providers Waterloo, IA 109 providers Ankeny, IA 90 providers Sioux City, IA 87 providers Council Bluffs, IA 77 providers Iowa City, IA 72 providers Dubuque, IA 63 providers Burlington, IA 44 providers Cedar Falls, IA 43 providers Marion, IA 41 providers

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Counties in Iowa

Showing 60 of 111 counties.

Choosing care in Iowa

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 Iowa, 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 Iowa have?

According to current licensing data, Iowa has 3,163 licensed providers: 1,085 child care centers, 1,789 family child care homes, and 289 preschools.

How does Iowa score on average quality ratings?

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

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

In the current data, Des Moines, Davenport, Cedar Rapids lead Iowa 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.