Child day care / Rhode Island
How many child day care services are in Rhode Island?
The Census Bureau counted 279 child day care services with paid employees in Rhode Island in 2023. That is 2.6% more than in 2017.
RHODE ISLAND · 2023
The count
279
child day care services with paid employees
- Employees
- 4,032
- Average per site
- 14.5
- Change since 2017
- +2.6%
- State rank
- 47 of 51
What the number means
Rhode Island had 279 child day care services in 2023, ranking number 47 among the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Together they employed 4,032 people and paid $120 million in annual payroll, an average of 14.5 employees per site.
These businesses make up 0.95% of every employer establishment in Rhode Island, close to the 0.98% national share. A site count is not the same as the number of companies: a chain with 40 locations counts 40 times.
29% of child day care services in Rhode Island have fewer than 5 employees, against 36% across the U.S.
Rhode Island holds 0.3% of the nation's child day care services and 0.4% of all U.S. employer establishments, so, measured against the state's overall size, the trade is about as common as in the country as a whole. The most common size class is 10 to 19 employees (93 sites). Average payroll per employee is $29,806, against $29,695 for the U.S. trade.
Size of the businesses
| Employees per site | Share | Sites | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 80 | 28.9% | |
| 5 to 9 | 49 | 17.7% | |
| 10 to 19 | 93 | 33.6% | |
| 20 to 49 | 48 | 17.3% | |
| 50 to 99 | 7 | 2.5% | |
| 100 to 249 | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 250 to 499 | 0 | 0.0% |
Count since 2017
Index: 2017 = 100. Employer establishments only. 2017 count 272; 2019 count 288; 2022 count 279; 2023 count 279. Employment −2.0% since 2017.
Biggest other trades in Rhode Island
| Trade | Sites | Employees | Since 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service restaurants | 1,153 | 22,883 | −0.2% |
| Landscaping services | 794 | 2,885 | +16.9% |
| Plumbing and HVAC contractors | 494 | 4,410 | +14.4% |
| Coffee shops and snack bars | 487 | 6,567 | +14.6% |
| Beauty salons | 387 | 1,320 | −2.5% |
| General auto repair | 330 | 1,316 | −4.9% |
| Janitorial services | 286 | 3,845 | +13.5% |
| Fitness centers | 178 | 2,609 | +9.2% |
Child day care in nearby ranks
| State | Sites | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 349 | 44 |
| District of Columbia | 303 | 45 |
| South Dakota | 280 | 46 |
| Vermont | 272 | 48 |
| Hawaii | 267 | 49 |
| Wyoming | 245 | 50 |
All states for child day care services · Every trade in Rhode Island
Questions
How many child day care services are in Rhode Island?
The Census Bureau's County Business Patterns counted 279 child day care services with paid employees in Rhode Island in 2023. That ranks Rhode Island number 47 among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Is the number of child day care services in Rhode Island growing?
Between 2017 and 2023 the count grew (2.6%), from 272 to 279. Across the United States the count changed by +6.1% over the same period. These years include the 2020 pandemic.
Does this count include self-employed owners with no staff?
No. County Business Patterns covers establishments with at least one paid employee. A sole proprietor with no employees is counted in a separate Census series called Nonemployer Statistics, which this site does not use yet, so the real number of people working in this trade is higher than the figure shown.
Read this before using the number
These counts describe how many businesses already exist. They say nothing about demand, profit, competition near you or how much any owner earns, and we make no estimate of income. Check local licensing, costs and rules before acting on any figure here. See the disclaimer.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns (2023; change measured against 2017, 2019 and 2022). Establishments with paid employees only; employment and payroll carry Census noise infusion. Retrieved November 2, 2026. Method and sources.