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Best Daycares in Santa Cruz County

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

277 licensed facilities
0 top rated
100% clean record

Maintained by the California Daycares editorial team Last updated

Typical tuition

Average monthly cost in Santa Cruz County

2022 median
$2,065
/ month
infant
$1,411
/ month
toddler
$1,107
/ month
preschool

Median cost at licensed child care centers. Licensed family child care homes typically cost 20-30% less (infant care around $827/month).

Santa Cruz County offers a wide range of daycare options for families with 277 licensed facilities, including 13 Family Child Care Homes and 4 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 Santa Cruz County is strong — 100% of the top-ranked facilities have a clean inspection record with no citations. Our top pick, 7 Magic Flowers Bilingual Montessori Preschool, holds an Excellent facility score.

When it comes to cost, licensed child care centers in Santa Cruz County charge a median of $1,750 per month for infant care and $1,050 for preschool. These are county-level estimates — individual facilities may vary. Family child care homes are typically more affordable, with infant care averaging around $1,412 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 Santa Cruz County

1

7 Magic Flowers Bilingual Montessori Preschool

Excellent

Single Licensed Child Care Center · Campbell

Capacity: 74 Est. tuition: $900 – $1,200/mo
2

A Child's Garden

Excellent

Child Care - Infant Center · Corralitos

Capacity: 6 Est. tuition: $900 – $1,200/mo
3

A Child's Garden

Excellent

Child Care Center · Corralitos

Capacity: 30 Est. tuition: $900 – $1,200/mo
4

Acr Academy

Excellent

Child Care - Infant Center · Santa Cruz

Capacity: 22 Est. tuition: $900 – $1,200/mo
5

Acr Academy

Excellent

Child Care Center · Santa Cruz

Capacity: 52 Est. tuition: $900 – $1,200/mo
6

Adina Jackson

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Boulder Creek

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $950 – $1,300/mo
7

Adriana Castillo

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Santa Cruz

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $950 – $1,300/mo
8

Alma Aguilera

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Watsonville

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $950 – $1,300/mo
9

Amy Warren

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Aptos

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $950 – $1,300/mo
10

Ana Lizeth Ponce

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Watsonville

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $950 – $1,300/mo
11

Ana Maria Vasquez-Narez

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Watsonville

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $950 – $1,300/mo
12

Ana Parra

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Watsonville

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $950 – $1,300/mo
13

Angelita Ortiz

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Freedom

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $950 – $1,300/mo
14

Anne Striffler

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Watsonville

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $950 – $1,300/mo
15

Araceli Vargas

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Watsonville

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $950 – $1,300/mo
16

Ashley George

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Santa Cruz

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $950 – $1,300/mo
17

Baymonte Christian Schools Preschool

Excellent

Child Care Center · Scotts Valley

Capacity: 44 Est. tuition: $900 – $1,200/mo
18

Bayside Baptist Christian Preschool

Excellent

Child Care Center · Santa Cruz

Capacity: 21 Est. tuition: $900 – $1,200/mo
19

Beatrice Novelo

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Watsonville

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $950 – $1,300/mo
20

Belen Aguirre Medina & Viridiana Aguirre

Excellent

Family Child Care Home · Watsonville

Capacity: 14 Est. tuition: $950 – $1,300/mo
View all 277 facilities in Santa Cruz County

Frequently Asked Questions

How many licensed daycares are in Santa Cruz County?
There are 277 licensed daycare facilities in Santa Cruz County, California, including family child care homes and child care centers.
What types of daycare are available in Santa Cruz County?
Santa Cruz County has 1 Single Licensed Child Care Center, 2 Child Care - Infant Center, 4 Child Care Center, 13 Family Child Care Home. Use the search filters to narrow by type.
How are daycares in Santa Cruz County rated?
Each facility is rated based on state inspection data, including Type A and Type B citations. 100% of facilities in Santa Cruz County have no citations on record.
How much does daycare cost in Santa Cruz County?
Based on typical county pricing data, licensed child care centers in Santa Cruz County charge approximately $1,750/month for infants, $1,202/month for toddlers, and $1,050/month for preschool-age children. Licensed family child care homes are typically 20–30% less, with infant care around $1,412/month. Exact pricing varies by facility.

Top Cities in Santa Cruz County

Aptos
10 facilities
Ben Lomond
3 facilities
Boulder Creek
4 facilities
Freedom
18 facilities
Santa Cruz
67 facilities
Scotts Valley
16 facilities
Soquel
11 facilities
Watsonville
139 facilities
View county-wide rankings →

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