Portland childcare real estate: values, cap rates & market data.
What childcare centers and daycare properties are worth in the Portland market — grounded in our own sold-comps database, our 2025 tuition survey, and U.S. Census data.
Portland, OR childcare market — key figures
The median childcare real estate cap rate in the United States is 7.11%, based on 370 of 592 sold childcare transactions compiled by Little Scholars Real Estate, at a median sold price of $322 per square foot.
In the Portland, OR metro, 4 national-chain childcare centers surveyed in 2025 reported median monthly tuition of $2,076 for infants and $1,554 for preschool.
The Portland, OR metro has 128,974 children under age five and a median household income of $94,573; its population grew 3.8% and its under-five population declined 9.3% 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).
Fewer kids — but the survivors run full.
Portland's under-5 population fell 9.3% from 2018 to 2023 even as the metro grew and household income climbed to $94,573.
As in other high-income coastal metros, capacity is leaving faster than children: the surveyed school reporting exact enrollment ran at 90% of licensed capacity, and infant rates reach $2,165 a month. Oregon childcare rarely trades — just two sales in our dataset, around a 6.6% cap.
Real rates from Portland-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 | Portland (SE Gladstone St) | — | $1,415 | 111 |
| KinderCare | Clackamas (SE Sunnyside Rd) | $2,165 | $1,732 | 110 |
| KinderCare | Portland (SW Hall Blvd) | — | $1,570 | 122 |
| La Petite Academy | Sherwood (SW Tualatin-Sherwood Rd) | $1,987 | $1,537 | 164 |
What childcare properties trade at nationally.
Across our sold-comps database of 592 childcare transactions in 41 states, properties have typically traded at 6.7–7.7% cap rates, with a national median of 7.11% and $322 per square foot. Our two Oregon sales traded around a 6.6% cap. 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 |
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