CallataGuides

Business phone system for child day care services in Massachusetts

2,309 child day care services operated in Massachusetts in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.

Establishments
2,309CBP 2023
Employees
32,471mid-March 2023
Per 100k residents
32.4U.S. 24.2
State rank
12th of 51by count

Child day care services in Massachusetts by the numbers

Massachusetts had 2,309 child day care services in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 624410, Child Day Care Services). They employed 32,471 people in mid-March and reported $1.2 billion in annual payroll. That is the 12th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Child day care services make up 1.3% of the 183,767 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Massachusetts has 32.4 child day care services, 33.9% above the national rate of 24.2. The average establishment has 14.1 employees against 12.7 nationally. Payroll per employee is $36,239, 22.0% above the U.S. figure of $29,695.

Child day care services: Massachusetts compared with the U.S., 2023
MeasureMassachusettsUnited States
Establishments2,30982,162
Mid-March employees32,4711,045,052
Annual payroll$1,176,706,000$31,032,974,000
Employees per establishment14.112.7
Payroll per employee$36,239$29,695
Establishments per 100,000 residents32.424.2

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.

Child day care services by metro area in Massachusetts

Census published child care center counts for 10 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Massachusetts. The largest is Boston, MA-NH, with 1,766 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 21% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.

Child day care services by metro or micropolitan area, Massachusetts, 2023
AreaEstablishmentsEmployeesPer 100k residents
Boston, MA-NH1,76625,93035.1
Providence, RI-MA4656,44727.3
Worcester, MA2323,39526.3
Springfield, MA1081,41423.3
Barnstable Town, MA5453123.2
Amherst Town, MA4744928.4
Pittsfield, MA2428118.6
Greenfield, MA158221.2
Vineyard Haven, MA74833.2
Nantucket, MA53234.1

Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.

Team sizes at child day care services in Massachusetts

35.2% of Massachusetts's child day care services with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 36.3% nationally. 50.6% 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.

Child day care services in Massachusetts by employment size, 2023
Employment sizeEstablishmentsShareU.S. share
1–4 employees81335.2%36.3%
5–9 employees35515.4%18.7%
10–19 employees58225.2%24.0%
20–49 employees48020.8%18.8%
50 or more employees773.3%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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts:

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 a 14-person child care center

Child day care services in Massachusetts average 14.1 employees, so the comparison uses a 14-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 14 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $420.00 a month and 14 on Ooma Office Pro cost $349.30. On Callata the same 14 people cost $279.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.

The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $1,692. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.

Monthly list price for a 14-person child care center
Provider (plan)Pricing basisPer monthPer year
Callata (Callata Office)$99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user$279.00$3,348.00
Quo (Starter)$19.00 per user$266.00$3,192.00
Nextiva (Core)$23.00 per user$322.00$3,864.00
Ooma (Office Pro)$24.95 per user$349.30$4,191.60
Dialpad (Standard)$27.00 per user$378.00$4,536.00
RingCentral (RingEX Core)$30.00 per user$420.00$5,040.00

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 Massachusetts

Massachusetts has 9 geographic area codes 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 codes in Massachusetts by assigned exchanges
Area codeExchangesTime zoneIn service sinceOverlay with
978773Eastern1997351
781769Eastern1997339
617768Eastern1947857
508749Eastern1988774
413602Eastern1947none
774524Eastern2001508
857362Eastern2001617
339104Eastern2001781
35192Eastern2001978

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 Massachusetts

Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.

If you already have a number in Massachusetts, 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 Massachusetts?

2,309 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 32,471 people in mid-March.

Which Massachusetts metro area has the most child day care services?

Boston, MA-NH, with 1,766 establishments in 2023.

What does a phone system cost a 14-person child care center?

$420.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $349.30 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $279.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).

Do I need to register to text customers from a Massachusetts 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.