Licensed Preschool in Essex, VT

Preschool in Essex

As of July 2026

With 25 licensed child care providers, Essex carries one of the largest combined licensed capacities in Vermont's licensing data — about 1,553 children, an average of roughly 62 spots per program. Eight providers have a Google rating on CloverMap, averaging 4.3 stars, with 3 rated 4.5 stars or higher. Seventeen Essex providers, including Rec Kids at Maple Street Park, hold a 4- or 5-star STARS designation — well over half the local market, a strong showing by Vermont standards.

What to know about childcare in Essex

Essex's combined licensed capacity — roughly 1,553 children across 25 providers — is among the largest total figures in Vermont's licensing data, translating to an average of about 62 children per program. That scale suggests Essex families may find more room within individual programs compared with cities where the same number of providers serve fewer total children overall.

Eight of Essex's 25 providers have generated enough Google reviews for an average rating, coming in at 4.3 stars, with 3 of those 8 rated 4.5 stars or higher. STARS coverage runs deeper: 17 of Essex's 25 licensed providers, well over two-thirds, hold a 4- or 5-star rating under Vermont's STep Ahead Recognition System — one of the stronger STARS participation rates among Vermont's larger cities, and a useful counterweight to the smaller Google-rated sample of 8.

Every Essex provider operates under a license issued by Vermont's Department for Children and Families' Child Development Division, which also administers the STARS program statewide. Given that 17 of 25 Essex providers carry a 4- or 5-star STARS rating but only 8 have a Google rating at all, STARS status is the more complete lens for evaluating quality across the full Essex market rather than the smaller reviewed subset.

Families comparing Essex providers on CloverMap can start from the citywide combined licensed capacity of 1,553 children and the strong 17-of-25 STARS participation rate, then layer in Google ratings where they exist for additional context. Rec Kids at Maple Street Park is one provider within that broader set of 25; as with any Vermont city, confirming current openings directly with a shortlisted program remains the necessary final step before enrollment.

With more than two-thirds of Essex's licensed providers holding a 4- or 5-star STARS rating, the city's overall quality picture looks stronger than what the smaller Google-reviewed group alone would suggest. That gap between the two measures is worth keeping in mind when a shortlisted provider has strong STARS standing but limited online review history — the STARS designation reflects a state-verified review process, not just word of mouth.

Essex's above-average program capacity, combined with its strong STARS participation, suggests families here may be able to find a good fit within a relatively small number of larger, well-recognized programs rather than needing to work through a long list of smaller options one at a time. That combination of scale and quality recognition is worth noting for any family comparing Essex against neighboring towns.