Market intelligence · Nashville, TN

Nashville 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 Nashville market — grounded in our own sold-comps database, our 2025 tuition survey, and U.S. Census data.

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125,458

Children under 5 in the Nashville metro (2023)

+9.6%

Population change, 2018–2023

$82,499

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

+4.7%

Change in under-5 population, 2018–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2018 & 2023), Nashville–Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN Metro Area.

Nashville, TN childcare market — key figures

The median childcare real estate cap rate in Tennessee is 6.9%, based on 12 of 18 sold childcare transactions compiled by Little Scholars Real Estate, at a median sold price of $410 per square foot.

In the Nashville, TN metro, 2 national-chain childcare centers surveyed in 2025 reported median monthly tuition of $1,667 for infants and $1,380 for preschool.

The Nashville, TN metro has 125,458 children under age five and a median household income of $82,499; its population grew 9.6% and its under-five population grew 4.7% 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).

What this means for owners

Growing in every column — including kids.

Nashville added roughly 180,000 residents from 2018 to 2023 — up 9.6% — and its under-5 population grew 4.7%, one of the strongest child-count gains of any market we track. Household income rose 32% to $82,499.

Growing child counts feed enrollment directly, and Tennessee comps trade tight — an 6.9% median cap at $410 per square foot on 18 sales, among the richest Southeastern pricing in our dataset.

2025 tuition rates · Nashville market

Real rates from Nashville-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	Old Hickory (Matterhorn Dr)	$1,536	$1,243	142
Kiddie Academy	Franklin (Westwind Ct)	$1,797	$1,516	125

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 Tennessee.

Across our sold-comps database, Tennessee childcare properties have typically traded at 6.7–7.4% cap rates, at a median of $410 per square foot, across 18 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 18 Tennessee childcare sales (12 with reported cap rate), within 592 transactions across 41 states; compiled from public records, updated June 2026.

6.7–7.4%

Typical cap-rate range, TN sales

6.9%

Median sold cap rate, TN

$410

Median price per SF, TN

TN 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

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Why Little Scholars

The childcare broker who's run one.

NEARLY40

Years in the industry

Centers sold

18⁺

States nationwide

2,800⁺

Investors in our network

Meet Alan Stahl and the team →

FAQ

Questions from Nashville owners.

How much does daycare tuition cost in Nashville?

In our 2025 survey of national-chain schools in the Nashville market, actual rates ran roughly $1,536–$1,797/mo for infants and $1,243–$1,516/mo for Pre-K, with medians of $1,667 and $1,380. Rates were received directly from each school and vary by program and location.

What cap rates do childcare properties sell at in Tennessee?

In our sold-comps dataset of 18 Tennessee childcare sales, properties have sold at a median cap rate of roughly 6.9%, typically ranging 6.7–7.4%, at a median of $410 per square foot. Individual deals vary with tenant credit, lease term, and location.

How much is my Nashville 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 Middle Tennessee?

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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