Denver childcare real estate: values, cap rates & market data.
What childcare centers and daycare properties are worth in the Denver market — grounded in our own sold-comps database, our 2025 tuition survey, and U.S. Census data.
Denver, CO childcare market — key figures
The median childcare real estate cap rate in Colorado is 6.99%, based on 18 of 30 sold childcare transactions compiled by Little Scholars Real Estate, at a median sold price of $406 per square foot.
In the Denver, CO metro, 3 national-chain childcare centers surveyed in 2025 reported median monthly tuition of $2,133 for infants and $1,710 for preschool.
The Denver, CO metro has 164,434 children under age five and a median household income of $102,339; its population grew 4.5% and its under-five population declined 7.0% between 2018 and 2023.
Little Scholars Real Estate is a childcare-only business and real estate brokerage led by Alan Stahl, with 80 transactions closed across 18+ states.
Sources: Little Scholars Real Estate sold-comps database (592 childcare transactions across 41 states, updated June 2026); Little Scholars 2025 tuition survey, rates received directly from individual schools; U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2018 and 2023). Figures may be cited or republished with attribution to Little Scholars Real Estate (CC BY 4.0).
Colorado's premium market runs 90% full.
Metro Denver's median household income crossed $102,339 as the metro grew 4.5% — while the under-5 count fell 7.0%, the classic high-cost-metro pattern.
The three surveyed schools run a 90% median occupancy with infant rates up to $2,143 a month. Colorado comps are deep — 30 sales around a 7.0% median cap at $406 per square foot, among the richest per-square-foot pricing we track.
Real rates from Denver-market schools.
Actual monthly tuition rates our team received from national-chain schools in this market during our 2025 survey — not averages. Tuition drives revenue, and revenue drives value.
| Brand | Location | Infant / mo | Pre-K / mo | Licensed capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KinderCare | Golden (N Rubey Dr) | $2,143 | $1,710 | 144 |
| Kiddie Academy | Lone Tree (Park Meadows Dr) | $2,122 | $1,580 | 187 |
| Kiddie Academy | Littleton (W Ken Caryl Ave) | — | $1,799 | 106 |
Every licensed center in metro Denver.
Colorado publishes its full licensed-facility register, refreshed monthly. We counted every licensed Child Care Center and Preschool Program across the 10-county Denver metro — licensed capacity, infant capacity, and Colorado Shines quality rating.
Denver has 1,076 licensed child care centers and preschool programs holding 89,323 seats — roughly 1.8 children under 5 per licensed seat. Median licensed capacity is just 65 seats, well below the 100 to 122 typical in Texas and Georgia. Denver is a small-format market: there are fewer 5,000+ square foot buildings that qualify as net-lease investments than in comparable Sun Belt markets. Only 35% of metro centers hold licensed infant capacity, and infant seats make up a small fraction of the total — that, not seats overall, is this market's real constraint. Quality rating is not a differentiator here: 56.4% of Denver centers hold a Colorado Shines level 4 or 5 rating, against 47.1% statewide, so a high rating meets market expectation rather than beating it.
What childcare properties trade at in Colorado.
Across our sold-comps database, Colorado childcare properties have typically traded at 6.7–7.4% cap rates, at a median of $406 per square foot, across 30 sales. Where your property lands comes down to tenant credit, lease term, and the site itself.
| Brand (national) | Median sold cap | Median $/SF |
|---|---|---|
| KinderCare | 6.67% | $381 |
| La Petite Academy | 6.89% | $207 |
| Kiddie Academy | 6.46% | $378 |
| Tutor Time | 8.47% | $372 |
| Childtime | 6.20% | $262 |
8 childcare properties currently listed for sale in Colorado.
What's your Denver center worth?
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Questions from Denver owners.
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Cap rates and price per SF by national brand, from real sold transactions.
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