How many licensed daycares are in Santa Cruz?

There are 67 licensed daycare facilities in Santa Cruz, California, including family child care homes and child care centers.

What types of daycare are available in Santa Cruz?

Santa Cruz has 27 Child Care Center, 18 Family Child Care Home, 10 School Age Child Care Center, 6 Single Licensed Child Care Center, 6 Child Care - Infant Center. Use the search filters to narrow by type.

How are daycares in Santa Cruz rated?

Each facility is rated based on state inspection data, including Type A and Type B citations. 88% of facilities in Santa Cruz have no citations on record.

How much does daycare cost in Santa Cruz?

Based on typical county pricing data, licensed child care centers in Santa Cruz charge approximately $2,065/month for infants, $1,411/month for toddlers, and $1,107/month for preschool-age children. Licensed family child care homes are typically 20–30% less, with infant care around $1,765/month. Exact pricing varies by facility.

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz has 67 licensed daycare facilities, the second highest number in Santa Cruz County. The majority are Child Care Centers (27), followed by 18 Family Child Care Homes, 10 School Age Child Care Centers, 6 Single Licensed Child Care Centers, and 6 Child Care - Infant Centers.

67 facilities

88% clean

38 avg cap.

2,513

Total capacity

With openings

High

Demand level

Recent Activity

New this year

16 yrs

Avg facility age

Tips for Parents

📊 Well-served area

This area has more facilities than the county average — you have plenty of options to compare.

✅ Strong compliance record

88% of facilities here have no violations — well above the state average.

🏢 Center-based care

This area is well-served by larger child care centers, offering structured programs and more capacity.

About This City

Daycares in Santa Cruz

The average facility capacity is 38 children, and 88% of providers maintain a clean violation record. Browse facilities below to compare scores, inspection history, and capacity for licensed daycares near you.

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