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Best Daycares in Merced County

Top 20 licensed childcare facilities ranked by compliance record, parent reviews, and capacity.

249 licensed facilities
0 top rated
100% clean record

Maintained by the California Daycares editorial team Last updated

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).

Merced County offers a wide range of daycare options for families with 249 licensed facilities, including 13 Family Child Care Homes and 6 Child Care Centers. We ranked the top 20 based on their official compliance record and parent reviews to help you find the best fit for your family.

The daycare landscape in Merced County is strong — 100% of the top-ranked facilities have a clean inspection record with no citations. Our top pick, Abc Child Care, holds an Excellent facility score.

When it comes to cost, licensed child care centers in Merced County charge a median of $960 per month for infant care and $748 for preschool. These are county-level estimates — individual facilities may vary. Family child care homes are typically more affordable, with infant care averaging around $918 per month.

Each facility listed below links to a detailed profile page where you can review inspection history, complaint records, capacity, and contact information. We update our rankings regularly as new licensing data becomes available.

Top 20 Daycares in Merced County

1

Abc Child Care

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Winton

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $650 – $900/mo
2

Ada Givens Preschool

Excellent

Child Care Center · Merced

Capacity: 22 Est. tuition: $650 – $850/mo
3

Agustina Gomez Family Child Care

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Los Banos

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $650 – $900/mo
4

Aileen Colburn Preschool

Excellent

Child Care Center · Atwater

Capacity: 48 Est. tuition: $650 – $850/mo
5

Alicia Haro Lopez Family Child Care

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Merced

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $650 – $900/mo
6

Alicia Reyes Preschool

Excellent

Child Care Center · Merced

Capacity: 45 Est. tuition: $650 – $850/mo
7

Alma Barragan Family Child Care

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Livingston

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $650 – $900/mo
8

Ana Ramos Family Child Care

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Atwater

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $650 – $900/mo
9

Angelica Espinoza Family Child Care

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Winton

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $650 – $900/mo
10

Angelica Gann Family Child Care

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Los Banos

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $650 – $900/mo
11

Angelica Jimenez Family Child Care

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Los Banos

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $650 – $900/mo
12

Araceli Soto Family Child Care

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Merced

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $650 – $900/mo
13

Bellevue Head Start

Excellent

Child Care Center · Atwater

Capacity: 20 Est. tuition: $650 – $850/mo
14

Bellevue Preschool

Excellent

Child Care Center · Atwater

Capacity: 24 Est. tuition: $650 – $850/mo
15

Betty Cascia Family Child Care

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Los Banos

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $650 – $900/mo
16

Blanca Quintero Family Child Care

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Winton

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $650 – $900/mo
17

Bright Beginnings Family Day Care

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Merced

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $650 – $900/mo
18

Buhach Preschool - Merced

Excellent

Child Care - Infant Center · Merced

Capacity: 11 Est. tuition: $650 – $850/mo
19

Campus Park Head Start

Excellent

Child Care Center · Livingston

Capacity: 49 Est. tuition: $650 – $850/mo
20

Carlos Lopez Contreras & Diana Alcazar Fcc

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Merced

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $650 – $900/mo
View all 249 facilities in Merced County

Frequently Asked Questions

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 13 Family Child Care Home, 6 Child Care Center, 1 Child Care - Infant 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. 100% 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 $960/month for infants, $822/month for toddlers, and $748/month for preschool-age children. Licensed family child care homes are typically 20–30% less, with infant care around $918/month. Exact pricing varies by facility.

Top Cities in Merced County

Atwater
33 facilities
Delhi
5 facilities
Hilmar
4 facilities
Le Grand
5 facilities
Livingston
11 facilities
Los Banos
67 facilities
Merced
101 facilities
Planada
9 facilities
View county-wide rankings →

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