Daycare and child care in Vermont
Every regulated program in the state, licensed or registered: 1,059 programs in 197 towns, with the openings by age they report to the state. 629 are licensed for infants.
- Licensed programs
- 1,059
- 656 centers · 403 home-based
- Licensed for infants
- 629
- 68 with an infant opening, last 60 days
- Children under 5
- 27,700
- Census estimate, 2020–2024
- Children under 5 per spot
- 1.2
- Statewide; each town shows its own
Towns to know
From the state’s records as of Oct 29, 2026 and the Census (2020–2024). Spot figures cover towns with 3+ programs.
Child care in Vermont, by the numbers
What care costs
Vermont doesn’t publish programs’ prices, so ask each one when you call. The cost guide has what programs’ own websites list, and the weekly share families pay with Child Care Financial Assistance.
What care costsHelp paying
$15,813a month, family of four
Families earning up to this may qualify for Child Care Financial Assistance, which helps pay for child care. Ask each program whether it takes it.
Limits from Mar 22, 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. Vermont overall: 1.2. A higher number means fewer spots for each child.
How to find child care in Vermont
- 01Search by town and age
Start with the search above. It has every licensed program in Vermont, with the openings by age they report to the state and their STARS ratings.
- 02Call five or six programs
Vermont doesn’t publish programs’ prices, and openings change quickly, so ask each program what’s open for your child’s age, what it costs and whether there’s a fee to join the waitlist.
- 03Check the state’s records
Vermont doesn’t publish inspection visits as open data, so look a program up on the state’s Bright Futures search or ask about its most recent licensing visit.
- 04See if you qualify for help
Child Care Financial Assistance: a family of four earning up to $15,813 a month may qualify.
Questions about child care in Vermont
How many licensed child care programs are in Vermont?
Vermont has 1,059 regulated (licensed or registered) child care programs in 197 towns: 656 centers, preschools and afterschool programs and 403 family child care homes, as of Oct 29, 2026. 629 are licensed for infants, including the 371 registered family child care homes, which the state lists with the same split by age; ask which ages each one takes.
How much does daycare cost in Vermont?
Vermont doesn’t publish programs’ prices, so ask each one when you call. Our cost guide has what programs’ own websites list, and what families pay with Child Care Financial Assistance.
Do daycares in Vermont have openings?
68 of the 629 programs that take babies reported an open infant spot in the 60 days before Oct 29, 2026. Programs report their openings by age to the state, with the date. Many reports are weeks or months old, so call to check what’s open now. There are about 1.2 children under 5 for every licensed spot in Vermont (Census, 2020–2024), so waitlists are common, especially for babies.
Which towns in Vermont have the most infant openings?
In the 60 days before Oct 29, 2026, the most programs reporting an open infant spot to the state were in Brattleboro (9 of the 16 that take infants), Essex (5 of the 17 that take infants) and Rutland City (5 of the 23 that take infants). Openings fill quickly, so call to confirm.
Where is child care hardest to find in Vermont?
Counting licensed spots, it’s tightest around Pawlet, Warren and Chittenden, with 3.3, 3.1 and 2.9 children under 5 for every licensed spot within 10 miles, against 1.2 across Vermont. There’s the most room around Waterford (0.5) and Addison (0.6). 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 Vermont?
Yes. Child Care Financial Assistance helps families pay for child care. A family of four earning up to $15,813 a month may qualify (limits from Mar 22, 2026). Ask each program whether it takes it.
How do I check a daycare’s inspection record in Vermont?
Vermont doesn’t publish programs’ inspection visits as open data, so they aren’t on this site. The state’s Bright Futures search shows each program’s STARS, accreditation and regulatory history; start from the Find Child Care page on dcf.vermont.gov, or ask the program about its most recent licensing visit.
Who can help me find child care in Vermont?
Your local community child care support agency offers free help finding care; the state’s website lists the agency for each town. You can also search every licensed program here by town and age.
Browse by town
Addison County
Bennington County
- Arlington 2
- Bennington 35
- Dorset 2
- Manchester 8
- Pownal 7
- Readsboro 1
- Shaftsbury 6
- Stamford 3
Caledonia County
Chittenden County
- Bolton 1
- Burlington 50
- Charlotte 6
- Colchester 20
- Essex 32
- Hinesburg 6
- Huntington 2
- Jericho 6
- Milton 15
- Richmond 6
- Shelburne 8
- South Burlington 24
- St. George 1
- Underhill 2
- Westford 4
- Williston 21
- Winooski 8
Franklin County
Grand Isle County
Lamoille County
- Cambridge 4
- Eden 5
- Hyde Park 6
- Johnson 6
- Morristown 14
- Stowe 8
- Waterville 3
Orange County
Orleans County
- Albany 2
- Barton 7
- Brownington 1
- Charleston 3
- Coventry 2
- Craftsbury 3
- Derby 18
- Glover 1
- Greensboro 2
- Holland 2
- Irasburg 1
- Jay 2
- Lowell 2
- Newport City 7
- Newport Town 2
- Troy 9
Rutland County
Washington County
Windham County
Windsor County
- Barnard 1
- Bethel 4
- Bridgewater 1
- Cavendish 6
- Chester 2
- Hartford 22
- Hartland 3
- Ludlow 5
- Norwich 5
- Plymouth 1
- Reading 2
- Rochester 2
- Royalton 3
- Sharon 2
- Springfield 21
- Stockbridge 2
- Weathersfield 3
- West Windsor 1
- Weston 1
- Windsor 5
- Woodstock 8
From the state’s list of child care providers (Vermont Department for Children and Families, Child Development Division, on the state’s open data portal), retrieved Oct 29, 2026. The state updates its list once a month. Openings are what each program last reported to the state, on the date shown. Always confirm details with the program. The state’s data is shared under the Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0.