The two maps estimate how many children are competing for each available slot in a nearby licensed child care facility suitable for their age. An area having three or more children competing for one licensed slot, or without licensed providers, is considered to be a “child care desert,” following the methodology used by Center for American Progress. The number of licensed slots is estimated based on a provider's licensed total capacity and the ages they are licensed to serve. Information on licensed child care providers is updated daily from the Great Start to Quality database, which connects with Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. 

1) Zip Code-Level Licensed Child Care Deserts shows each zip code’s estimated licensed child care desert ratio (i.e., the total number of children divided by the total licensed child care slots). The map can be filtered by zip codes, counties, and economic development organizations. To assess how child care accessibility may differ across community settings, data were analyzed by Boston University’s Child Opportunity Index (an estimate of local resources available to support positive child development, ranging from “very low” to “very high”), geographic types ( a city, suburb, or rural/town area) by the National Center for Education Statistics, and provider types (centers, family homes, and group homes).

2) County-Level Licensed Child Care Ratios ranks Michigan's counties by their licensed child care desert ratios, showing which counties are in greater need for expanded child care services. The chart can be filtered by each economic development organization.

Please note the limitations and assumptions of these maps, summarized below: 

• Only licensed providers are included in the current work. Unlicensed, license-exempt, and informal providers—which also contribute to the child care ecosystem—are excluded due to data unavailability.
• It is assumed that all families with children counted in the American Community Survey are seeking licensed child care and search only within their zip code or county.  
• It is assumed that all providers are operating at full capacity. Estimates may not fully capture local nuances—such as temporary closures, changes in provider schedules, and uneven distribution of slots across age groups. 

For a full list of definitions, methods, assumptions, limitations, and references, please click here to download the technical report.