Where childcare demand and provider capacity are moving furthest apart
A closer look at the Texas communities facing the strongest combined access pressures.
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25priority investment ZIPs
1,342Texas ZIP markets analyzed
15,145provider records in statewide quality analysis
1,285ZIPs represented in provider intelligence
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Family Access
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Provider Intelligence
Review provider counts, capacity, inspection activity, deficiencies and quality signals.
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Market Opportunity
Identify communities where demand, service gaps and growth signals suggest expansion potential.
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Nightcare Need
Examine evening and overnight childcare gaps affecting shift workers and employers.
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Public Policy
Translate statewide childcare conditions into evidence for planning, investment and oversight.
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Geographic Intelligence
Connect ZIP-level evidence to cities, neighborhoods, counties and regional market patterns.
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The hidden infrastructure problem facing shift workers
Why evening and overnight childcare deserves a central place in workforce planning.
Explore findings25 ZIPs where childcare expansion may create the greatest impact
Markets ranked using demand, service gaps and broader operating conditions.
View rankingTexas childcare maps
See where pressure and opportunity concentrate.
Map products translate ZIP-level data into clear geographic patterns for communities and decision-makers.
ACCESS MAP
Open statewide researchChildcare Supply & Demand
Compare child population, provider capacity and combined service-gap conditions across Texas.
MARKET MAP
Explore ranked ZIPsInvestment Opportunity
Locate high-priority ZIPs where demand, day access and nightcare weakness intersect.
Top 25 investment ZIPs
Priority markets for childcare expansion
This public-facing table summarizes ranked ZIP markets. Scores are decision-support signals, not guarantees of financial performance.
25 markets shown
| Rank | Tier | ZIP | City | Population | Child Pop. 0–4 | Investment Score | Gap Level | Opportunity Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tier 1 | 78046 | Laredo | 78,046 | 7,340 | 75.95 | Severe Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 2 | Tier 1 | 78245 | San Antonio | 96,015 | 8,189 | 74.36 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 3 | Tier 1 | 78640 | Kyle | 77,531 | 5,684 | 72.85 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 4 | Tier 1 | 78542 | Edinburg | 89,401 | 7,506 | 72.17 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 5 | Tier 1 | 78641 | Leander | 99,865 | 6,681 | 71.61 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 6 | Tier 2 | 77494 | Katy | 140,157 | 8,554 | 71.33 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 7 | Tier 2 | 78130 | New Braunfels | 104,009 | 6,517 | 69.04 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 8 | Tier 2 | 78852 | Eagle Pass | 57,434 | 4,999 | 69.03 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 9 | Tier 2 | 79761 | Odessa | 30,164 | 3,158 | 68.81 | Severe Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 10 | Tier 2 | 79707 | Midland | 40,010 | 3,513 | 68.73 | Severe Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 11 | Tier 3 | 77327 | Cleveland | 42,685 | 4,042 | 68.23 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 12 | Tier 3 | 78552 | Harlingen | 42,332 | 3,861 | 67.30 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 13 | Tier 3 | 76543 | Killeen | 34,457 | 3,902 | 66.25 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 14 | Tier 3 | 76227 | Aubrey | 61,227 | 5,030 | 66.21 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 15 | Tier 3 | 77845 | College Station | 76,764 | 4,318 | 66.17 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 16 | Tier 4 | 78415 | Corpus Christi | 43,080 | 4,007 | 65.86 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 17 | Tier 4 | 76502 | Temple | 52,669 | 4,296 | 65.86 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 18 | Tier 4 | 77407 | Richmond | 88,319 | 8,077 | 65.76 | High Combined Gap | Growth Market |
| 19 | Tier 4 | 78537 | Donna | 51,426 | 5,224 | 65.55 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 20 | Tier 4 | 75165 | Waxahachie | 53,513 | 3,876 | 65.46 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 21 | Tier 4 | 78520 | Brownsville | 64,740 | 5,073 | 65.39 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 22 | Tier 4 | 78599 | Weslaco | 35,454 | 3,670 | 65.31 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 23 | Tier 4 | 77573 | League City | 98,109 | 5,451 | 64.71 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 24 | Tier 4 | 79765 | Odessa | 25,904 | 3,311 | 64.06 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
| 25 | Tier 4 | 78574 | Mission | 62,456 | 5,231 | 63.76 | High Combined Gap | Day + Night Desert |
Methodology
Powered by the National Data System
The National Data System combines governed source data, field-level review, geographic analysis and transparent scoring to turn complex childcare records into usable intelligence.
Read the Executive Analysis1
Verified source data
Public childcare, demographic and geographic datasets are assessed before use.
Public childcare, demographic and geographic datasets are assessed before use.
2
Identity and geography preservation
Provider-level records remain traceable while ZIP-level analysis supports public understanding.
Provider-level records remain traceable while ZIP-level analysis supports public understanding.
3
Cross-domain analysis
Demand, supply, quality, nightcare and market conditions are evaluated separately before interpretation.
Demand, supply, quality, nightcare and market conditions are evaluated separately before interpretation.
4
Explainable outputs
Rankings and narratives preserve methodology, caveats, lineage and appropriate confidence boundaries.
Rankings and narratives preserve methodology, caveats, lineage and appropriate confidence boundaries.
Texas Childcare Intelligence Center
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