Market intelligence · Houston, TX

Houston childcare real estate: values, cap rates & market data.

Q: Can I sell my center without my staff or competitors finding out?

Yes. Little Scholars runs confidential sale processes — buyers are qualified and sign NDAs before any identifying information about your center is shared.

What childcare centers and daycare properties are worth in the Houston market — grounded in our own sold-comps database, our 2025 tuition survey, and U.S. Census data.

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487,845

Children under 5 in the Houston metro (2023)

+7.3%

Population change, 2018–2023

$80,458

Median household income — above the U.S. national median

−2.8%

Change in under-5 population, 2018–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2018 & 2023), Houston–Pasadena–The Woodlands, TX Metro Area.

What this means for owners

Scale, growth, and big new boxes.

Houston added roughly 496,000 residents from 2018 to 2023 while its under-5 count eased just 2.8% and household income crossed $80,458.

Our surveyed schools are large new-build academies — one licensed for 306 children — in the suburban growth corridors. Texas comps run 56 sales around a 7.7% median cap: deep, liquid, and development-heavy.

2025 tuition rates · Houston market

Real rates from Houston-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
Kiddie Academy	League City (E League City Pkwy)	$1,342	$1,104	306
Kiddie Academy	Spring (Champion Forest Dr)	$1,472	$1,299	180

Disclosure: these rates and enrollment figures were manually received by our team, directly from each school, during our 2025 survey. Only schools that shared rates are shown; figures may have changed since. Medians are computed across the schools shown; median occupancy uses only schools that reported exact enrollment. Licensed capacity per state licensing records. Source: Little Scholars 2025 brand rate survey.

Cap rates & valuation context

What childcare properties trade at in Texas.

Across our sold-comps database, Texas childcare properties have typically traded at 6.9–8.8% cap rates, at a median of $375 per square foot, across 56 sales. Where your property lands comes down to tenant credit, lease term, and the site itself.

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Source: Little Scholars sold-comps dataset — medians from 56 Texas childcare sales (43 with reported cap rate), within 592 transactions across 41 states; compiled from public records, updated June 2026.

6.9–8.8%

Typical cap-rate range, TX sales

7.7%

Median sold cap rate, TX

$375

Median price per SF, TX

TX childcare sales in our dataset

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

Market activity

48 childcare properties currently listed for sale in Texas.

Source: on-market childcare listings on Crexi as of July 20, 2026, reviewed by our team for childcare relevance. Availability changes daily; contact us for current opportunities.

What's your Houston center worth?

An instant, confidential valuation of your business and your property — built on the same data behind this page.

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Why Little Scholars

The childcare broker who's run one.

30⁺

Years in the industry

70⁺

Centers sold

18⁺

States nationwide

2,800⁺

Investors in our network

Meet Alan Stahl and the team →

FAQ

Questions from Houston owners.

How much does daycare tuition cost in Houston?

In our 2025 survey of national-chain schools in the Houston market, actual rates ran roughly $1,342–$1,472/mo for infants and $1,104–$1,299/mo for Pre-K, with medians of $1,407 and $1,202. Rates were received directly from each school and vary by program and location.

What cap rates do childcare properties sell at in Texas?

In our sold-comps dataset of 56 Texas childcare sales, properties have sold at a median cap rate of roughly 7.7%, typically ranging 6.9–8.8%, at a median of $375 per square foot. Individual deals vary with tenant credit, lease term, and location.

How much is my Houston daycare business worth?

Childcare businesses are usually valued on a multiple of SDE or EBITDA, and the real estate on its income and comparable sales. Our instant valuation tool estimates both — free and confidential.

Who buys childcare centers in greater Houston?

Regional and national operators, franchisees, and net-lease real-estate investors. We maintain a network of 2,800+ childcare and net-lease investors who actively acquire early-education assets across 18+ states.

Can I sell my center without my staff or competitors finding out?

Yes. We run confidential sale processes — buyers are qualified and sign NDAs before any identifying information about your center is shared. Here's how our process works.

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