How many licensed daycares are in Des Moines?

There are 420 licensed child care providers in Des Moines.

What percentage of Des Moines daycares have high quality ratings?

45% of Des Moines daycares hold 4 or 5 stars on Childery's composite rating, compared to 54% statewide in Iowa.

What types of childcare are available in Des Moines?

93 center-based, 327 home-based providers operate in Des Moines.

How do Des Moines daycares score on teaching quality compared to the rest of Iowa?

Des Moines daycares average 2.8 out of 5 stars on Childery's Process score (teaching quality, QRIS ratings, and accreditations), compared to a Iowa statewide average of 2.8.

Is there financial help for childcare in Iowa?

Iowa offers childcare subsidies and assistance programs for income-eligible families. See income limits, waitlist status, and how to apply.

Childery

Best Daycares in Des Moines, IA — Independent Quality Ratings

Of Des Moines's 420 daycares, 191 (45%) hold a 4 or 5 star rating from Childery, below Iowa's statewide rate of 54%. Locally, providers average 2.8 stars on Process inputs (state QRIS, NAEYC and other accreditation, federal Head Start CLASS scores) and 3.2 stars on Structural inputs (state regulatory baseline plus provider-level licensing data), compared with Iowa averages of 2.8 on Process and 3.6 on Structural.

The local market includes 93 centers and 327 family child care homes, a higher home-based share than Iowa's average of 56%.

Listed alphabetically below are some of the highest-rated providers in Des Moines. Childery ranks providers using publicly auditable inputs: state QRIS scores, NAEYC-aligned ratios and group sizes, and federal CCDBG training coverage. See the Iowa methodology page for the full breakdown.

420

Daycares

191

4 or 5 Stars

Rating Distribution in Des Moines

140(33%)

51(12%)

34(8%)

107(25%)

88(21%)

Mean rating across all displayed daycares in Des Moines: 3.1 (Sample of 420).

Process rating across all displayed daycares in Des Moines: 2.8 (Sample of 47).

Structural rating across all displayed daycares in Des Moines: 3.2 (Sample of 420).

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Some of the Best Daycares in Des Moines

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many licensed daycares are in Des Moines?: There are 420 licensed child care providers in Des Moines.
What percentage of Des Moines daycares have high quality ratings?: 45% of Des Moines daycares hold 4 or 5 stars on Childery's composite rating, compared to 54% statewide in Iowa.
What types of childcare are available in Des Moines?: 93 center-based, 327 home-based providers operate in Des Moines.
How do Des Moines daycares score on teaching quality compared to the rest of Iowa?: Des Moines daycares average 2.8 out of 5 stars on Childery's Process score (teaching quality, QRIS ratings, and accreditations), compared to a Iowa statewide average of 2.8.
Is there financial help for childcare in Iowa?: Iowa offers childcare subsidies and assistance programs for income-eligible families. See income limits, waitlist status, and how to apply.Childcare subsidies in Iowa

All 420 Daycares in Des Moines

2 For U Childcare - West