# Most rated daycares sit at the bottom of their state's star scale

Published 2026-11-07 · By Pushbuild · Data: [Child Care Providers API – Licensed Daycare Centers and Homes in 9 States](https://pushbuild.com/apis/child-care-providers.html)

**In Pennsylvania 2,966 providers are at STAR 1, the lowest of four levels, against 2,280 at STAR 4. In Colorado 1,380 are at level 1 of 5 and 181 at level 5.** Vermont is split: 389 at 1 star and 317 at 5 stars.

| State | Lowest level | Highest level | Rated providers |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pennsylvania | 2,966 (STAR 1) | 2,280 (STAR 4 incl. accredited) | 6,629 |
| Colorado | 1,380 (level 1) | 181 (level 5) | 3,439 |
| Vermont | 389 (1 star) | 317 (5 stars) | 1,055 |

## Caveats

Each state's own rating system; the entry level often means a provider has not applied for a higher rating, not that care is poor.

## Sources

- Child Care Providers API – Licensed Daycare Centers and Homes in 9 States: the primary sources are listed on the [API page](https://pushbuild.com/apis/child-care-providers.html), read on 2026-11-07

Data as of 2026-11-07. Every figure in this post is in the table above and the CSV below.

Download the data behind this post: [b2-childcare-slots-per-100-under5-by-state.csv](https://pushbuild.com/apis/analysis/data/b2-childcare-slots-per-100-under5-by-state.csv)

## Get this data

Every number in this post comes from the [Child Care Providers API – Licensed Daycare Centers and Homes in 9 States](https://pushbuild.com/apis/child-care-providers.html). $0.0008 per row returned; every key gets $1 of free usage each month.

```
curl -X POST https://api.pushbuild.com/child-care-providers/run \
  -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"maxItems": 20}'
```

[API docs and key](https://pushbuild.com/apis/child-care-providers.html)[More analysis from this data](https://pushbuild.com/apis/analysis/api/child-care-providers/)Embed this chart

Free to reuse with the credit link. Paste this HTML into your page, or use the [SVG file](https://pushbuild.com/apis/analysis/daycare-quality-ratings-by-state/chart.svg).

Want a table like this in Google Sheets, refreshed on demand? Free script: [copy a web table into Google Sheets](https://pushbuild.com/free/scripts/website-table-to-sheets/).

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Header photo: [Carol M. Highsmith](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Exterior_view_of_the_William_H._Welch_Medical_Library,_the_library_of_the_Johns_Hopkins_Hospital_in_Baltimore,_Maryland_LCCN2013650459.tif), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

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As of 2026-11-07. Source: https://pushbuild.com/apis/analysis/daycare-quality-ratings-by-state/