Some of the Best Daycares in Lancaster, PA
Of Lancaster's 116 daycares, 45 (39%) hold a 4 or 5 star rating from Childery, below Pennsylvania's statewide rate of 43%. Locally, providers average 3.2 stars on Process inputs (state QRIS, NAEYC and other accreditation, federal Head Start CLASS scores) and 3.1 stars on Structural inputs (state regulatory baseline plus provider-level licensing data), compared with Pennsylvania averages of 3.2 on Process and 3.4 on Structural.
The local market includes 71 centers, 11 group child care homes, and 26 family child care homes, a higher home-based share than Pennsylvania's average of 21%.
Listed alphabetically below are some of the highest-rated providers in Lancaster. Childery ranks providers using publicly auditable inputs: state QRIS scores, NAEYC-aligned ratios and group sizes, and federal CCDBG training coverage. See the Pennsylvania methodology page for the full breakdown.
Rating Distribution in Lancaster
Mean rating across all displayed daycares in Lancaster: 3.4 (Sample of 116).
Process rating across all displayed daycares in Lancaster: 3.2 (Sample of 106).
Structural rating across all displayed daycares in Lancaster: 3.1 (Sample of 116).
Search daycares in Lancaster
Browse by ZIP
Some of the Best Daycares in Lancaster
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many licensed daycares are in Lancaster?
- There are 116 licensed child care providers in Lancaster.
- What percentage of Lancaster daycares have high quality ratings?
- 39% of Lancaster daycares hold 4 or 5 stars on Childery's composite rating, compared to 43% statewide in Pennsylvania.
- What types of childcare are available in Lancaster?
- 71 center-based, 37 home-based providers operate in Lancaster.
- How do Lancaster daycares score on teaching quality compared to the rest of Pennsylvania?
- Lancaster daycares average 3.2 out of 5 stars on Childery's Process score (teaching quality, QRIS ratings, and accreditations), compared to a Pennsylvania statewide average of 3.2.
- Is there financial help for childcare in Pennsylvania?
- Pennsylvania offers childcare subsidies and assistance programs for income-eligible families. See income limits, waitlist status, and how to apply.Childcare subsidies in Pennsylvania