How many licensed daycares are in Merced County?

There are 249 licensed daycare facilities in Merced County, California, including family child care homes and child care centers.

What types of daycare are available in Merced County?

Merced County has 137 Family Child Care Home, 74 Child Care Center, 17 Child Care - Infant Center, 11 Single Licensed Child Care Center, 10 School Age Child Care Center. Use the search filters to narrow by type.

How are daycares in Merced County rated?

Each facility is rated based on state inspection data, including Type A and Type B citations. 92% of facilities in Merced County have no citations on record.

How much does daycare cost in Merced County?

Based on typical county pricing data, licensed child care centers in Merced County charge approximately $1,059/month for infants, $863/month for toddlers, and $715/month for preschool-age children. Licensed family child care homes are typically 20–30% less, with infant care around $999/month. Exact pricing varies by facility.

Merced County

Browse and compare licensed childcare providers in Merced County

249 facilities

13 cities

Typical tuition

Average monthly cost in Merced County

2022 median

$1,059

/ month

infant

$863

/ month

toddler

$715

/ month

preschool

Median cost at licensed child care centers. Licensed family child care homes typically cost 20-30% less (infant care around $563/month).

249 facilities

13 cities

92% clean

27 avg cap.

Top Cities

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

92% of facilities here have no violations — well above the state average.

🏠 Home-based care options

137 of 249 facilities are home-based — great for parents who prefer smaller, more personal settings.

About This County

Daycares in Merced County

Merced County is home to 249 licensed daycare facilities across 13 cities, making it a smaller but well-represented daycare market in California. The highest concentration of providers is in Merced (101), followed by Los Banos (67) and Atwater (33).

Across the county, an impressive 92% of facilities maintain a clean violation record, well above the state average. The average facility capacity is 27 children. Browse by city below to find licensed daycares, preschools, and family child care homes near you.

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