Some of the Best Daycares in Madison, WI
Of Madison's 249 daycares, 191 (77%) hold a 4 or 5 star rating from Childery, above Wisconsin's statewide rate of 67%. Locally, providers average 4.0 stars on Process inputs (state QRIS, NAEYC and other accreditation, federal Head Start CLASS scores) and 5.0 stars on Structural inputs (state regulatory baseline plus provider-level licensing data), compared with Wisconsin averages of 3.3 on Process and 5.0 on Structural.
The local market includes 115 group child care homes and 106 family child care homes.
Listed alphabetically below are some of the highest-rated providers in Madison. Childery ranks providers using publicly auditable inputs: state QRIS scores, NAEYC-aligned ratios and group sizes, and federal CCDBG training coverage. See the Wisconsin methodology page for the full breakdown.
Rating Distribution in Madison
Mean rating across all displayed daycares in Madison: 4.4 (Sample of 249).
Process rating across all displayed daycares in Madison: 4.0 (Sample of 182).
Structural rating across all displayed daycares in Madison: 5.0 (Sample of 249).
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Some of the Best Daycares in Madison
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many licensed daycares are in Madison?
- There are 249 licensed child care providers in Madison.
- What percentage of Madison daycares have high quality ratings?
- 77% of Madison daycares hold 4 or 5 stars on Childery's composite rating, compared to 67% statewide in Wisconsin.
- What types of childcare are available in Madison?
- 221 home-based providers operate in Madison.
- How do Madison daycares score on teaching quality compared to the rest of Wisconsin?
- Madison daycares average 4.0 out of 5 stars on Childery's Process score (teaching quality, QRIS ratings, and accreditations), compared to a Wisconsin statewide average of 3.3.
- Is there financial help for childcare in Wisconsin?
- Wisconsin offers childcare subsidies and assistance programs for income-eligible families. See income limits, waitlist status, and how to apply.Childcare subsidies in Wisconsin