Kansas City childcare real estate: values, cap rates & market data.
What childcare centers and daycare properties are worth in the Kansas City market — grounded in our own sold-comps database, our 2025 tuition survey, and U.S. Census data.
Kansas City, MO childcare market — key figures
The median childcare real estate cap rate in Kansas and Missouri is 7.39%, based on 15 of 19 sold childcare transactions compiled by Little Scholars Real Estate, at a median sold price of $386 per square foot.
In the Kansas City, MO metro, 3 national-chain childcare centers surveyed in 2025 reported median monthly tuition of $1,949 for infants and $1,481 for preschool.
The Kansas City, MO metro has 134,817 children under age five and a median household income of $81,927; its population grew 4.5% and its under-five population declined 3.4% 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).
The Midwest's yield market.
Kansas City grew 4.5% from 2018 to 2023 with household income up 28% to $81,927 and the under-5 count easing just 3.4%.
Our surveyed schools — all La Petite Academies, on both sides of the state line — run an 89% median occupancy. Kansas and Missouri comps trade wide, 7.0–9.2% around a 7.4% median cap: the strongest yields we track in the Midwest.
Real rates from Kansas City-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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Petite Academy | Overland Park, KS (Newton Dr) | $1,949 | $1,572 | 112 |
| La Petite Academy | Shawnee, KS (W 66th St) | $2,087 | $1,481 | 163 |
| La Petite Academy | Kansas City, MO (NE 81st Ter) | $1,853 | $1,455 | 171 |
What childcare properties trade at in Kansas & Missouri.
Across our sold-comps database, Kansas & Missouri childcare properties have typically traded at 7.0–9.2% cap rates, at a median of $386 per square foot, across 19 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 |
6 childcare properties currently listed for sale in Kansas & Missouri.
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