Moore County’s Childcare Crisis — and How You Can Help
A few weeks ago, we sat in a room at Sandhills Community College with the Moore County Chamber of Commerce surrounded by daycare owners, teachers, state and local reps, nanny companies, and parents. The topic? Childcare in Moore County.
The numbers alone tell a story:
70% of Moore County kids live in homes where all available adults work.
We have 4,600 children under the age of 6… but only 2,839 licensed childcare slots.
The number of slots hasn’t increased since 2005—yet our population has grown.
8 childcare programs have closed in the past two years.
For every 1 available slot, there are 3–4 children on a waitlist—and for infant care, that ratio is even worse.
One respected local center shared that they may not be calling families on their waitlist for three years. Three years. That could be the entirety of a military family’s time here.
What It Looks Like for a Center Owner
One owner summed it up like this:
“Even now that I have a daycare open, the challenges continue—paying staff well enough to stay, buying new equipment, covering weekly groceries, and somehow paying myself. I bring home about $1,000 every six weeks, which barely covers my own childcare and groceries. I’m lucky my husband earns, but many owners don’t have that backup. For less stress and more money, they could go work at Walmart or Belk.”
Opening a daycare in the first place is a financial mountain—most start-ups face massive renovation costs, high licensing fees, and expensive play equipment (one quote came in at $21,000 for the cheapest option).
Even after opening, the math rarely works. Lowering child-to-teacher ratios creates better environments, but it also means less revenue. Raising prices risks losing families. Staffing is a constant struggle, as those with early childhood credentials can earn more working as nannies or in other industries.
And while there are subsidies for parents, there’s little direct relief for providers—creating a domino effect where centers close, spots vanish, and families are left scrambling.
What It Feels Like for Families
As a stay-at-home mom, I felt the gaps—lack of services, lack of community—but it wasn’t until I started freelancing again that I truly saw the struggle. And the hardest part wasn’t even balancing it all once care started—it was getting in anywhere at all.
I’ve seen military families arrive on orders, expecting to find a slot within weeks, only to discover waitlists that stretch months—sometimes years. More than 47% of military families report difficulty securing childcare after a PCS move.
For single parents, the stakes are even higher. Without a second income, a long wait for care isn’t just inconvenient—it can be life-altering.
Why This Matters for the Whole Community
Childcare is infrastructure. Without it, parents can’t work, businesses lose employees, the local economy slows, and children lose access to safe, secure environments.
If you’re new to the area, the advice from providers was clear: Get on waitlists early. Before you move. Before you’re even pregnant, if the center allows it. And if you’re already here, keep your name on every list you can—sometimes from one pregnancy to the next.
But advice isn’t enough. We need to address the real barriers:
Staff pay that reflects their value and training
State regulations that keep kids safe without bankrupting providers
Facility costs that make expansion possible
Funding that supports both parents and providers
The Economic Case for Action
Our Moore County Chamber of Commerce has been a strong advocate for more support for our childcare facilities—yet we’ve still seen little viable action from our government and business community. Based on their findings and Family Friendly Workplaces booklet (huge shout-out to their advocacy), we know that:
More than 23 million women have left the labor force since February 2020, accounting for 80% of all discouraged workers during the pandemic—dropping labor force participation to 57%, the lowest since 1988.
North Carolina loses $414 million in tax revenue each year due to childcare issues.
In 2018, over 44% of North Carolina’s population lived in a childcare desert—a figure that’s only grown since the pandemic.
The Untapped Potential study found childcare gaps cost North Carolina’s economy an estimated $3.5 billion annually.
The benefit of investing in childcare is immeasurable—especially in a county projected to grow by 2,000 residents per year through 2050, many coming from the Healthcare, Military, and Hospitality sectors.
For military families, the challenge is even greater: 47% of military spouses report difficulty finding childcare after a PCS move, and military spouse unemployment remains at 21%. Without solutions, we risk losing talented workers before they even get a chance to join our community’s workforce.
Why Action Is Urgent — via MomsRising.org
According to MomsRising.org, the urgency to act could not be more critical. Some of these statistics mirror our Chamber’s findings from 2023, but these reflect the most current statewide data available. Right now in North Carolina:
Families are struggling to find and afford care: There is only 1 childcare spot for every 5 families who need or want one, with even less access in rural areas. Infant care costs an average of $11,720/year—that’s 57% more than in-state college tuition. Affordable care should cost no more than 7% of median family income, but in NC, it’s nearly double that.
Early childhood educators are underpaid and undervalued: The median starting salary in 2023 was $14/hour, about half the state median wage, often with few benefits. 42% of teachers rely on public assistance, and the poverty rate for early educators is 17.6% higher than the state average.
Parents are leaving the workforce: In 2024, 35% of parents who faced childcare disruptions reported leaving their jobs. These disruptions cost NC’s economy $5.65 billion annually, plus $1.36 billion in lost tax revenue due to turnover and absences.
Programs are closing at alarming rates: Since COVID began, NC has had a net loss of almost 9% of childcare programs. An estimated 1,500 programs are at risk of closing when stabilization grants end—leaving families with even fewer options.
MomsRising.org sums it up perfectly: Parents can’t afford to pay more, childcare teachers can’t afford to make less, and providers can’t afford to pay teachers what they deserve. Things need to change—for families, for early educators, and for the programs that keep kids safe and learning while parents work.
Take Action: August 12
On Monday, August 12, parents, providers, and advocates across North Carolina will join together for a Child Care Day of Action. We’ll be flooding social media and calling lawmakers to demand the investment our children, families, and economy need.
Here’s how you can help:
Call or email your lawmaker and tell them why childcare matters to you. Share a personal story about how access to childcare—or the lack of it—has impacted your work, family, and well-being.
Find your lawmaker’s contact info on the NC General Assembly website, or
Use the unbranded call-in line: Text INVEST to (888) 418-5699 and you’ll get an immediate call back that connects you to your lawmakers with talking points.
You don’t have to be a parent to care about this issue. Every business, every neighborhood, and every person in Moore County benefits when families can access safe, reliable care. Let’s make sure our leaders know it.
