Daycare and child care in Connecticut
Every licensed program in the state, 3,144 programs in 161 towns, with the prices they list on 211 Child Care and the state’s inspections. 2,460 of them take babies under 1.
- Licensed programs
- 3,144
- 1,366 centers · 1,778 home-based
- Take babies under 1
- 2,460
- 78% of programs
- Children under 5
- 181,700
- Census estimate, 2020–2024
- Children under 5 per spot
- 1.7
- Statewide; each town shows its own
Towns to know
From the state’s records as of Nov 2, 2026 and the Census (2020–2024). Spot figures cover towns with 3+ programs.
Highest infant prices
Typical monthly price, in towns with 5+ prices
Lowest infant prices
Typical monthly price, in towns with 5+ prices
- Windham$964
- Killingly$971
- New London$975
Fewest spots for young children
Children under 5 per licensed spot within 10 miles
- Griswold4.7
- Plainfield4.6
- Sterling4.6
Most room for young children
Children under 5 per licensed spot within 10 miles
- East Granby1.2
- Marlborough1.2
- Thompson1.2
Child care in Connecticut, by the numbers
What care costs
The middle of the monthly prices from the 1,846 of Connecticut’s 3,144 programs that list a price on 211 Child Care. Half charge more, half less.
Prices in every townHelp paying
$93,681a year, family of four
Families earning less than this may qualify for Care 4 Kids, which helps pay for child care. Ask each program whether it takes it.
Limits from Oct 1, 2026. Other family sizes are on the guide.
Income limits and how to applyRoom for young children, by county
Children under 5 (Census estimate, 2020–2024) for every licensed spot at programs that take them. Connecticut overall: 1.7. A higher number means fewer spots for each child.
How to find child care in Connecticut
- 01Search by town and age
Start with the search above. It has every licensed program in Connecticut, with the prices they list on 211 Child Care and the state’s inspections.
- 02Call five or six programs
Connecticut doesn’t publish openings, so ask each program what’s open for your child’s age, how the waitlist works and whether there’s a fee to join.
- 03Check the state’s records
Each program page lists three years of the state’s inspections and investigations, in its own words.
- 04See if you qualify for help
Care 4 Kids: a family of four earning less than $93,681 a year may qualify.
Questions about child care in Connecticut
How many licensed child care programs are in Connecticut?
Connecticut has 3,144 licensed child care programs in 161 towns: 1,366 centers and 1,778 home-based programs, as of Nov 2, 2026. 2,460 of them take babies under 1.
How much does daycare cost in Connecticut?
Among the 1,846 programs that list a price on 211 Child Care, the typical (middle) price is about $1,300 a month for an infant, $1,257 for a toddler, $1,192 for a preschooler, $650 for a school-age child. Prices vary a lot from town to town.
Do daycares in Connecticut have openings?
Connecticut doesn’t publish which programs have openings, so the only way to know is to call. Ask what’s open for your child’s age and how the waitlist works. There are about 1.7 children under 5 for every licensed spot in Connecticut (Census, 2020–2024), so waitlists are common, especially for babies.
Where is child care hardest to find in Connecticut?
Counting licensed spots, it’s tightest around Griswold, Plainfield and Sterling, with 4.7, 4.6 and 4.6 children under 5 for every licensed spot within 10 miles, against 1.7 across Connecticut. There’s the most room around East Granby (1.2) and Marlborough (1.2). These compare Census estimates of young children (2020–2024) with the spots programs are licensed for; they don’t measure waitlists.
Is there help paying for child care in Connecticut?
Yes. Care 4 Kids helps families pay for child care. A family of four earning less than $93,681 a year may qualify (limits from Oct 1, 2026). Ask each program whether it takes it.
How do I check a daycare’s inspection record in Connecticut?
Every program page here lists the Office of Early Childhood’s inspections and investigations for the last three years, with the rules it cited and its outcomes in its own words. The full records are public on data.ct.gov.
Who can help me find child care in Connecticut?
211 Child Care offers free help finding care: dial 2-1-1 or call 1-800-505-1000. You can also search every licensed program here by town, age and price.
Browse by town
Fairfield County
- Bethel 27
- Bridgeport 189
- Brookfield 10
- Danbury 113
- Darien 12
- Easton 5
- Fairfield 42
- Greenwich 42
- Monroe 17
- New Canaan 15
- New Fairfield 5
- Newtown 14
- Norwalk 93
- Redding 5
- Ridgefield 11
- Shelton 40
- Sherman 1
- Stamford 136
- Stratford 83
- Trumbull 26
- Weston 4
- Westport 20
- Wilton 19
Hartford County
- Avon 11
- Berlin 15
- Bloomfield 16
- Bristol 51
- Burlington 6
- Canton 5
- East Granby 6
- East Hartford 42
- East Windsor 4
- Enfield 45
- Farmington 16
- Glastonbury 26
- Granby 11
- Hartford 121
- Manchester 36
- Marlborough 6
- New Britain 59
- Newington 31
- Plainville 17
- Rocky Hill 17
- Simsbury 11
- South Windsor 20
- Southington 40
- Suffield 7
- West Hartford 40
- Wethersfield 24
- Windsor 27
- Windsor Locks 3
Litchfield County
Middlesex County
- Chester 4
- Clinton 7
- Cromwell 10
- Deep River 3
- Durham 3
- East Haddam 7
- East Hampton 13
- Essex 3
- Haddam 4
- Killingworth 6
- Middlefield 4
- Middletown 39
- Old Saybrook 7
- Portland 11
- Westbrook 4
New Haven County
- Ansonia 15
- Beacon Falls 5
- Bethany 5
- Branford 15
- Cheshire 20
- Derby 8
- East Haven 33
- Guilford 12
- Hamden 65
- Madison 12
- Meriden 69
- Middlebury 5
- Milford 40
- Naugatuck 31
- New Haven 158
- North Branford 13
- North Haven 13
- Orange 20
- Oxford 6
- Prospect 7
- Seymour 11
- Southbury 11
- Wallingford 33
- Waterbury 246
- West Haven 83
- Wolcott 9
- Woodbridge 4
New London County
Tolland County
From Connecticut child care licensing records (Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, on data.ct.gov) and 211 Child Care (United Way of Connecticut), retrieved Nov 2, 2026. Prices, ages and other details come from programs’ listings on 211 Child Care, which programs keep up themselves; neither 211 nor the state verifies them. Always confirm details with the program.