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Best Daycares in San Mateo County

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

705 licensed facilities
0 top rated
100% clean record

Maintained by the California Daycares editorial team Last updated

Typical tuition

Average monthly cost in San Mateo County

2022 median
$2,401
/ month
infant
$1,720
/ month
toddler
$1,893
/ month
preschool

Median cost at licensed child care centers. Licensed family child care homes typically cost 20-30% less (infant care around $964/month).

San Mateo County offers one of the largest daycare markets in California with 705 licensed facilities, including 8 Family Child Care Homes and 7 School Age 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 San Mateo County is strong — 100% of the top-ranked facilities have a clean inspection record with no citations. Our top pick, 2nd Generation Cabot (inf), holds an Excellent facility score.

When it comes to cost, licensed child care centers in San Mateo County charge a median of $2,142 per month for infant care and $1,688 for preschool. These are county-level estimates — individual facilities may vary. Family child care homes are typically more affordable, with infant care averaging around $1,520 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 San Mateo County

1

2nd Generation Cabot (inf)

Excellent

Child Care - Infant Center · South San Francisco

Capacity: 108 Est. tuition: $1,450 – $1,950/mo
2

2nd Generation Cabot (ps)

Excellent

Child Care Center · South San Francisco

Capacity: 264 Est. tuition: $1,450 – $1,950/mo
3

2nd Generation Cabot (sa)

Excellent

School Age Child Care Center · South San Francisco

Capacity: 70
4

A+ Immersion Preschool

Excellent

Child Care Center · San Mateo

Capacity: 30 Est. tuition: $1,450 – $1,950/mo
5

A+ Immersion Preschool Ii

Excellent

Child Care Center · San Mateo

Capacity: 90 Est. tuition: $1,450 – $1,950/mo
6

Adela Sandino

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Daly City

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $1,300 – $1,800/mo
7

Adela Sandino

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Pacifica

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $1,300 – $1,800/mo
8

Adolfina Gonzalez

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · East Palo Alto

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $1,300 – $1,800/mo
9

Afterschool Care Enrichment (ace) @ Arundel

Excellent

School Age Child Care Center · San Carlos

Capacity: 90
10

Afterschool Care Enrichment (ace) @ Brittan Acres

Excellent

School Age Child Care Center · San Carlos

Capacity: 121
11

Afterschool Care Enrichment (ace) @ Heather

Excellent

School Age Child Care Center · San Carlos

Capacity: 95
12

Afterschool Care Enrichment (ace) @ White Oaks

Excellent

School Age Child Care Center · San Carlos

Capacity: 121
13

Afterschool Care Enrichment-At Arroyo

Excellent

School Age Child Care Center · San Carlos

Capacity: 75
14

Afterschool Care Enrichment-At Mariposa

Excellent

School Age Child Care Center · San Carlos

Capacity: 95
15

Aileeh Carmen Vilchez

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · San Mateo

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $1,300 – $1,800/mo
16

Alejandra Espinosa

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Menlo Park

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $1,300 – $1,800/mo
17

Alexandra Atlanova

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Foster City

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $1,300 – $1,800/mo
18

Alicia Lopez

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Millbrae

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $1,300 – $1,800/mo
19

Alina Ivanchykava

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Foster City

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $1,300 – $1,800/mo
20

Alpha Kids Academy Llc

Excellent

Single Licensed Child Care Center · Menlo Park

Capacity: 33 Est. tuition: $1,450 – $1,950/mo
View all 705 facilities in San Mateo County

Frequently Asked Questions

How many licensed daycares are in San Mateo County?
There are 705 licensed daycare facilities in San Mateo County, California, including family child care homes and child care centers.
What types of daycare are available in San Mateo County?
San Mateo County has 1 Child Care - Infant Center, 3 Child Care Center, 7 School Age Child Care Center, 8 Family Child Care Home, 1 Single Licensed Child Care Center. Use the search filters to narrow by type.
How are daycares in San Mateo County rated?
Each facility is rated based on state inspection data, including Type A and Type B citations. 100% of facilities in San Mateo County have no citations on record.
How much does daycare cost in San Mateo County?
Based on typical county pricing data, licensed child care centers in San Mateo County charge approximately $2,142/month for infants, $1,602/month for toddlers, and $1,688/month for preschool-age children. Licensed family child care homes are typically 20–30% less, with infant care around $1,520/month. Exact pricing varies by facility.

Top Cities in San Mateo County

Atherton
15 facilities
Belmont
20 facilities
Burlingame
34 facilities
Colma
3 facilities
Daly City
43 facilities
East Palo Alto
24 facilities
Foster City
38 facilities
Half Moon Bay
9 facilities
View county-wide rankings →

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