These two maps show the child care desert ratio, which estimates how many children compete for each available child care slot in a nearby facility appropriate for their age. This ratio is calculated as the number of children divided by total child care slots. An area with three or more children competing for one slot, or without providers, is considered a “child care desert,” following the methodology used by the Center for American Progress. The maps display child care desert ratios at two geographic levels:

1. Michigan’s Child Care Deserts by Zip Code – Estimated ratios for each zip code
2. Michigan’s Child Care Deserts by County – Estimated ratios for each county

This data includes licensed and license-exempt providers: licensed providers comply with health and safety regulations and provide care for unrelated children in a home or center, whereas license-exempt providers typically offer care for related or unrelated children of family, friends, or neighbors. 

The number of slots is estimated by combining licensed providers’ total licensed capacity and the number of children using Child Development and Care (CDC) scholarships reported by license-exempt providers. Information on licensed child care providers is updated daily on the Child Care Hub Information Records Portal (CCHIRP) maintained by Michigan’s Child Care Licensing Bureau, while information on license-exempt providers is drawn from Michigan’s Child Development and Care (CDC) database from September 2023 to June 2025. For a full list of definitions, methods, assumptions, limitations, and references, please click here to download the technical report. Please note the limitations and assumptions of these maps, summarized below: 

• Informal care—which also contributes to the child care ecosystem—is excluded due to data unavailability.
• It is assumed that all families with children counted in the American Community Survey are seeking child care and search only within their zip code or county.   
• Because data on actual enrollment is unavailable, licensed child care slots are estimated using providers’ licensed capacity, proportionally distributed across the age range they serve. For example, if a provider is licensed to care for six children across a six-year span (ages 0-5), it is assumed that the capacity is evenly allocated—approximately one child per age group (e.g., one each for ages 0, 1, 2, etc.).
• It is assumed that all providers operate 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.  

These materials were developed under a grant awarded by the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential using Child Care Development Funds (CCDF).