Business phone system for child day care services in Maine
674 child day care services operated in Maine in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 674CBP 2023
- Employees
- 5,236mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 48.0U.S. 24.2
- State rank
- 35th of 51by count
The child care center industry in Maine
The Census Bureau counted 674 child day care services in Maine in its 2023 County Business Patterns (NAICS 624410). They employed 5,236 people in mid-March and reported $158.9 million in annual payroll. That is the 35th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Child day care services make up 1.6% of the 43,345 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Maine has 48.0 child day care services, 98.6% above the national rate of 24.2. The average establishment has 7.8 employees against 12.7 nationally. Payroll per employee is $30,350, 2.2% above the U.S. figure of $29,695.
| Measure | Maine | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 674 | 82,162 |
| Mid-March employees | 5,236 | 1,045,052 |
| Annual payroll | $158,915,000 | $31,032,974,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 7.8 | 12.7 |
| Payroll per employee | $30,350 | $29,695 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 48.0 | 24.2 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Where child day care services in Maine are concentrated
Census published child care center counts for 4 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Maine. The largest is Portland, ME, with 306 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 75% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, ME | 306 | 2,762 | 53.5 |
| Bangor, ME | 75 | 599 | 47.8 |
| Lewiston, ME | 65 | 456 | 56.4 |
| Augusta, ME | 60 | 481 | 46.7 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at child day care services in Maine
49.2% of Maine's child day care services with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 36.3% nationally. 72.1% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 331 | 49.2% | 36.3% |
| 5–9 employees | 154 | 22.9% | 18.7% |
| 10–19 employees | 125 | 18.6% | 24.0% |
| 20–49 employees | 60 | 8.9% | 18.8% |
| 50 or more employees | 3 | 0.4% | 2.2% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
What child day care services in Maine use the phone for
Child care centers take calls from parents about enrollment, absences and pickups, and from prospective families looking for openings. Staff are with children, so calls must be quick or captured.
Typical inbound and outbound calls for child day care services in Maine:
- A parent calls to ask about openings for an infant.
- A licensing agency calls about an inspection.
- A parent calls about a late pickup.
When nobody can pick up
Prospective parents often call in the evening.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
Phone system pricing for an 8-person child care center
Child day care services in Maine average 7.8 employees, so the comparison uses an 8-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 8 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $240.00 a month and 8 on Ooma Office Pro cost $199.60. On Callata the same 8 people cost $159.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $972. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $159.00 | $1,908.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $152.00 | $1,824.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $184.00 | $2,208.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $199.60 | $2,395.20 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $216.00 | $2,592.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $240.00 | $2,880.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Maine
Maine has 1 geographic area code in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your parents know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 207 | 742 | Eastern | 1947 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for child day care services in Maine
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Maine, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many child day care services are in Maine?
674 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 5,236 people in mid-March.
Which Maine metro area has the most child day care services?
Portland, ME, with 306 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost an 8-person child care center?
$240.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $199.60 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $159.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Maine number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.