Best Daycares in Wilmington, NC — Independent Quality Ratings
Of Wilmington's 76 daycares, 45 (59%) hold a 4 or 5 star rating from Childery, below North Carolina's statewide rate of 62%. Locally, providers average 3.8 stars on Process inputs (state QRIS, NAEYC and other accreditation, federal Head Start CLASS scores) and 2.5 stars on Structural inputs (state regulatory baseline plus provider-level licensing data), compared with North Carolina averages of 4.2 on Process and 2.1 on Structural.
The local market includes 60 centers and 16 family child care homes.
Listed alphabetically below are some of the highest-rated providers in Wilmington. Childery ranks providers using publicly auditable inputs: state QRIS scores, NAEYC-aligned ratios and group sizes, and federal CCDBG training coverage. See the North Carolina methodology page for the full breakdown.
Rating Distribution in Wilmington
Mean rating across all displayed daycares in Wilmington: 3.4 (Sample of 76).
Process rating across all displayed daycares in Wilmington: 3.8 (Sample of 71).
Structural rating across all displayed daycares in Wilmington: 2.5 (Sample of 76).
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How many licensed daycares are in Wilmington?
- There are 76 licensed child care providers in Wilmington.
- What percentage of Wilmington daycares have high quality ratings?
- 59% of Wilmington daycares hold 4 or 5 stars on Childery's composite rating, compared to 62% statewide in North Carolina.
- What types of childcare are available in Wilmington?
- 60 center-based, 16 home-based providers operate in Wilmington.
- How do Wilmington daycares score on teaching quality compared to the rest of North Carolina?
- Wilmington daycares average 3.8 out of 5 stars on Childery's Process score (teaching quality, QRIS ratings, and accreditations), compared to a North Carolina statewide average of 4.2.
- Is there financial help for childcare in North Carolina?
- North Carolina offers childcare subsidies and assistance programs for income-eligible families. See income limits, waitlist status, and how to apply.Childcare subsidies in North Carolina
All 76 Daycares in Wilmington
- Cadence Academy Preschool, Wilmington
- Carolina Kids
- Charlie's Day Care Home
- Child Development Center
- Childcare Network #127
- Childcare Network #128
- Childcare Network #158
- Childcare Network #159
- Childcare Network #82
- Childcare Network #83
- Children's Cottage of Wilmington
- Children's Cottage of Wilmington 2
- Children's Express
- Cici's Child Care
- Classy Bears Day Care & Preschool
- Classy Bears Day Care Preschool Ii, Inc.
- College Road Early Childhood Center
- Creative Minds Preschool