Child Care Mapping Project

The Child Care Mapping Project provides clear, easy-to-understand information about the availability of child care across Michigan. These maps are designed to help local partners, policymakers, program leaders, and the public understand where child care is available and where gaps exist, so communities can take action to increase access to high-quality child care.

The maps are intended to support efforts to build child care supply at the local level and address community access needs. Reporters and legislators also use these maps as a quick reference to understand child care trends and needs in the state.

The maps support work by local organizations such as Great Start Collaboratives and Great Start Family Coalitions (GSCs/GSFCs), Economic Development Organizations (EDOs), Regional Child Care Coalitions, and other community partners. The information helps identify progress and target areas where additional support is needed.

Available Maps and Charts:

Open Interactive Map

Annual Changes in Michigan's Licensed Child Care Providers

This map shows how the number of licensed child care providers and available openings has changed across Michigan from 2022 to today.

Why it matters:

Identifies which communities are gaining providers, staying steady, or losing access.

Key questions this map can help answer:

• Where is child care capacity increasing or decreasing over time?
• How are efforts to grow child care supply making a difference?
• Which communities may be at risk of having fewer child care options?

Open Interactive Map

Child Development and Care (CDC) Scholarship Usage

This map shows providers accepting and not accepting the CDC Scholarship in relation to community characteristics.

Why it matters:

This map highlights patterns of provider subsidy use.

Key questions this map can help answer:

• How does provider CDC usage vary across communities?
• Do under-resourced communities have adequate access to providers accepting the CDC scholarship?
• Where might additional outreach or support help expand the supply of CDC-accepting providers?
   

Open Interactive Map

Child Care Supply and Demand (Formerly Child Care Deserts)

The map illustrates how many children compete for one child care slot in an area, highlighting communities where supply does not meet demand.

Why it matters:

Identifies communities where families may have the hardest time finding child care.

Key questions this map can help answer:

• Where are child care shortages most severe?
• How does access to child care differ by location, such as zip code or county?
• Which communities may need more support, investment, or new child care options?

Open Interactive Map

Michigan's Licensed Child Care Providers

This map shows where licensed child care providers and slots are located across the state, grouped by provider type and community characteristics.

Why it matters:

Reveals how different types of child care are distributed across communities.

Key questions this map can help answer:

• Do families across communities have access to a range of provider types?
• How does child care availability vary based on community characteristics?
• Where may targeted support or investment be needed to expand different types of care?

Open Interactive Map

Caring for MI Future: Program Use by County

This map shows how child care providers across Michigan counties used prelicensure, startup, facility improvement, and business sustainability grants from the Caring for MI Future funding.

Why it matters:

Shows how providers are putting funding into action to support and grow child care.

Key questions this map can help answer:

• How were different types of Caring for MI Future funding used across counties?
• Where did providers most actively utilize each funding resource?
• How does resource utilization vary across the state?

Open Interactive Map

Caring for MI Future Investments

This map shows where prelicensure, startup, and facility improvement grants have been awarded across Michigan counties.

Why it matters:

Illustrates how Caring for MI Future funding is supporting child care across the state.

Key questions this map can help answer:

• Where have Caring for MI Future investments been made?
• Which counties have received support to start or grow child care programs?
• How were different types of grants distributed across Michigan?

How the Maps Are Used

• Compare child care availability over time: Track licensed providers, child care slots, and changes across years.
• Identify areas with limited child care supply: See where the demand for child care exceeds available slots.
• Understand community needs: View provider locations and services in relation to community characteristics.
• Guide investment and resources: Help partners decide where grants, scholarships, and supports are most needed.

Data Updates

• Some maps show historical data for previous years (e.g., annual licensed provider counts).
• Other maps, like the CDC Scholarship Usage map, reflect a specific point in time (e.g., October 2024 to September 2025).
• Several maps update provider data daily (i.e., Annual Changes in Michigan's Licensed Child Care Providers, Child Care Supply and Demand, and Michigan's Licensed Child Care Providers).
• All maps are updated periodically as new data becomes available, but they are not real-time dashboards.

Learning More

• Providers who want to understand the CDC Scholarship map or other resources can find guidance and explanations outside of the map pages. These resources explain what the maps show, how to interpret them, and how to use them to support families and child care programs in their communities.

These maps were developed with funding from the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential using Child Care Development Funds (CCDF).

For more information:
MSU researcher receives Michigan Department of Education grant for Childcare Services Mapping Project | Human Development and Family Studies 

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