Curated · August 2026

Best Daycares in Duluth, MN

Our top licensed picks in Duluth — ranked on license status, capacity, and verification recency from Minnesota Department of Human Services — Licensing Division. 24 centers reviewed. No paid placement, ever.

How we picked: from 24 licensed centers in Duluth, we surface those with a current license, larger licensed capacity, and the most recent verification. Ranking is objective and editorial — providers cannot pay for placement. Always confirm current license status before enrolling.

1

Plymouth Primrose School #194

Duluth, MN · 55806

Child Care Center Capacity 107 0 months - 12 months
2

Plymouth Abc Childcare #188

Duluth, MN · 55808

Licensed Group Child Care Home Capacity 106 6 weeks - 5 years
3

Coon Rapids Sunflower Daycare #9

Duluth, MN · 55805

Montessori Capacity 104 6 weeks - 12 years
4

Coon Rapids Little Scholars

Duluth, MN · 55805

Montessori Capacity 100 6 weeks - 12 years
5

Coon Rapids Precious Moments #4

Duluth, MN · 55808

Licensed Group Child Care Home Capacity 95 6 weeks - 5 years
6

Rochester Learning Center #160

Duluth, MN · 55804

Infant Care Capacity 92 5 years - 12 years
7

Plymouth Bright Beginnings #189

Duluth, MN · 55812

Preschool Capacity 92 2 years - 5 years
8

Growing Minds Plymouth #190

Duluth, MN · 55802

Head Start Capacity 87 2 years - 12 years
9

First Steps Eagan #216

Duluth, MN · 55804

Infant Care Capacity 87 5 years - 12 years
10

Plymouth Children's Place #191

Duluth, MN · 55803

Before & After School Care Capacity 83 3 years - 5 years

How we ranked these Duluth daycares

This ranking is built from public licensing records, not from opinions or paid placements. Every center on this page is pulled from the state licensing database, and the order is decided by three objective signals applied in this exact sequence:

  1. Current license status first. Centers whose permit is on record as licensed appear above those with any other status. A license is the single strongest signal a state gives you.
  2. Licensed capacity, largest first. Bigger licensed capacity usually means more classrooms, more age groups served and a better chance of an open spot — but it is not a measure of quality, and a small center may suit your child better.
  3. Most recent inspection date. A center inspected recently has fresher public data behind it, so what you read here is closer to today's reality.

What does not affect this ranking

No center can pay to be listed, to rank higher, or to change its description. We do not accept payment from providers, and affiliate links elsewhere on this site never influence the order of any listing.

What this list cannot tell you. Licensing data says nothing about staff turnover, how a room feels at 4pm, or whether a director answers the phone. Those you can only learn by visiting.

Before you enrol anywhere, verify the license yourself in your state database, tour during operating hours, and ask for the ratio in your child's specific room — our 30-point tour checklist walks through exactly what to ask.

Contains affiliate links

Starting daycare soon? Here is what to pack

Bottles, name labels, nap bedding and spare clothes — our checklist by age covers what centers ask you to bring, and what they ask you not to send.

See the checklist →

See all 24 Duluth daycares

Filter by age, program type, and ZIP — free, no signup.

selected