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Preschool & pre-K

Preschools & Pre-K in Massachusetts

Preschool and pre-K programs across Massachusetts take children from about 3 until kindergarten. Full-time preschool-age care at a center costs a median of $270 a week in the middle Massachusetts county (2022).

preschools and pre-K programs listed
2,248
towns
349
towns have their own preschools and pre-K page
216
of all Massachusetts daycares
25%

Map of Massachusetts: each dot is a town with preschools and pre-K programs, sized by how many are listed

Preschool & pre-K
What puts a daycare on this listThe state record lists preschool-age children among the ages it serves or names a state pre-K program, or it says it offers pre-K, or its name says preschool, pre-K or nursery school. Public school pre-K classes are often not on child care license lists; check with your school district too.A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

Preschool and pre-K

What preschool costs in Massachusetts

Preschool-age care at a center, per week, in the middle Massachusetts county (2022)
$270
The median of 14 county medians, from $230 in the lowest county to $420 in the highest.
Preschool tuition posted on daycare websites in Massachusetts, per week (2026)
$340
The median of 71 daycares that post a full-time rate; half post between $287 and $446. Posted rates run above the 2022 survey: they are newer, and mostly from centers.
of preschool websites mention part-time or half-day places
30%
Of the 1,307 websites we read for preschools in Massachusetts, 30% mention part-time places and 28% mention full-time care. Ask which days and hours a place covers.

County prices: U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022 (median full-time weekly price). Posted rates: tuition that daycares publish on their own websites, 2026, full-time rates only, one rate per daycare.

Massachusetts

Largest towns for preschools and pre-K in Massachusetts

Cambridge71 preschoolsBoston64 preschoolsSpringfield40 preschoolsNewton36 preschoolsBrookline33 preschoolsWorcester33 preschoolsDorchester29 preschoolsNew Bedford28 preschoolsSomerville27 preschoolsLynn25 preschoolsFall River22 preschoolsFramingham22 preschools

Programs

Programs in Massachusetts

Counts come from the state record and what each daycare says it offers. A daycare without a tag may still offer the program; ask.

ProgramListed
All daycares8,884
Take infants1,428
Child care centers3,010
Accept subsidy6,436
In-home daycares5,874
Christian & church daycares93
Montessori schools173
Preschools & pre-K2,248
Early morning daycare236
Part-time daycare426
Drop-in daycare39
After-school care1,651
Bilingual daycare158
Head Start178

The Massachusetts state record

Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care licenses daycares in Massachusetts.

License list
The state's public list of licensed child care
Ages served
On some licenses only; elsewhere shown where the daycare gives them
Inspections
On the state's own site; each listing links to it
Search the Massachusetts state records

Before you enroll

Choosing a preschool or pre-K in Massachusetts

  1. 1

    Ask about the day

    Ask how the day runs: free play, circle time, outdoor time and naps. Ask what children do to get ready for kindergarten.

  2. 2

    Half day or full day

    Many preschools run half days or school-year hours. If you work full time, ask about before- and after-care.

  3. 3

    Ask about cost

    Ask for the tuition, the registration fee and whether the state's pre-K or child care assistance can pay part of it.

  4. 4

    Check the license record

    Open a listing for its state license, the ages it serves and, where the state publishes it, the inspection record.

Massachusetts

Cost, inspections and ratios in Massachusetts

Daycare cost in MassachusettsWeekly prices by age and countyStaff-to-child ratios in MassachusettsHow many children each adult may care forDaycare tour checklistQuestions to ask when you visit

A to Z

All 349 Massachusetts towns with preschools and pre-K, A to Z

A22 towns
B25 towns
C18 towns
D16 towns
E14 towns
F9 towns
G10 towns
H22 towns
I2 towns
J2 towns
K1 town
L18 towns
M27 towns
N30 towns
O6 towns
P12 towns
Q1 town
R12 towns
S43 towns
T9 towns
U2 towns
V1 town
W46 towns
Y1 town

Nearby

Nearby states

New York4,338 preschoolsConnecticut1,149 preschoolsVermont886 preschoolsNew Hampshire166 preschoolsRhode Island118 preschools

Questions

Questions about preschools and pre-K in Massachusetts

How many preschools and pre-K programs are in Massachusetts?

2,248 preschools and pre-K programs are listed in 349 Massachusetts towns. A daycare without this tag may still run a preschool room; ask.

Which Massachusetts town has the most preschools and pre-K programs?

Cambridge, with 71 listed. Next are Boston (64) and Springfield (40).

What is the difference between preschool and pre-K?

Pre-K is the year before kindergarten, usually for 4-year-olds, and many states fund free or low-cost pre-K. Preschool is the wider term for programs for children of about 3 to 5. Many daycares run both, and this list has both.

Is there free preschool near me?

Head Start is free for children 3 to 5 from families who qualify, and many school districts run free pre-K classes. School-district pre-K is often not on child care license lists, so check with your school district too.

What age is pre-K?

Pre-K is usually for children who turn 4 by a cutoff date in late summer or early fall, the year before kindergarten. Each state sets its own cutoff.

What is the difference between preschool and daycare?

A preschool teaches children of about 3 to 5 before kindergarten, often for part of the day. A daycare looks after children while parents work, often all day, and many daycares run a preschool room. This list has both: places whose state record serves preschool-age children, that offer pre-K on their own website, or that are named a preschool.

Who licenses daycares in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care licenses daycares in Massachusetts. It publishes inspections on its own site; use the state search linked on this page.