Best Daycares in Waterloo, IA — Independent Quality Ratings
Of Waterloo's 101 daycares, 46 (46%) hold a 4 or 5 star rating from Childery, below Iowa's statewide rate of 55%. Locally, providers average 2.8 stars on Process inputs (state QRIS, NAEYC and other accreditation, federal Head Start CLASS scores) and 3.3 stars on Structural inputs (state regulatory baseline plus provider-level licensing data), compared with Iowa averages of 2.9 on Process and 3.6 on Structural.
The local market includes 41 centers and 60 family child care homes.
Listed alphabetically below are some of the highest-rated providers in Waterloo. 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.
Rating Distribution in Waterloo
Mean rating across all displayed daycares in Waterloo: 3.2 (Sample of 101).
Process rating across all displayed daycares in Waterloo: 2.8 (Sample of 12).
Structural rating across all displayed daycares in Waterloo: 3.3 (Sample of 101).
Search daycares in Waterloo
Browse by ZIP
Some of the Best Daycares in Waterloo
Other cities in Iowa
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many licensed daycares are in Waterloo?
- There are 101 licensed child care providers in Waterloo.
- What percentage of Waterloo daycares have high quality ratings?
- 46% of Waterloo daycares hold 4 or 5 stars on Childery's composite rating, compared to 55% statewide in Iowa.
- What types of childcare are available in Waterloo?
- 41 center-based, 60 home-based providers operate in Waterloo.
- How do Waterloo daycares score on teaching quality compared to the rest of Iowa?
- Waterloo 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 2.9.
- 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 101 Daycares in Waterloo
- Y's Kids at Cunningham
- Y's Kids at Highland
- Y's Kids at Irving Elementary
- Y's Kids at Kingsley
- Y's Kids at Kittrell
- Y's Kids at Lincoln Elementary
- Y's Kids at Lou Henry
- Y's Kids at Lowell
- YMCA Early Learning Center
- YMCA School Age Care at Becker Elem
- YMCA School Age Care at Orange Elem
- YWCA of Black Hawk County Child Care