Percentage of NV children in child care deserts outpaces region, analysis finds

More than 45,000 young children in Nevada’s 4th Congressional District live in a child care desert, the highest rate among all the congressional districts in five mountain west states, according to a recent report from UNLV. 

Brookings Mountain West and Lincy Institute at UNLV’s analysis, which was published Sept. 11, comes from 2024 findings from Center for American Progress “America’s Child Care Crisis Leaves Many Families Without Access to Licensed Care” report released this summer.

The report draws on data from state licensing agencies and federal Head Start administrative figures. A “child care desert” is determined as an area where the number of children under 6 years old exceeds available local licensed child care slots by more than a 3-to-1 ratio. 

About 46% of children nationally live in child care deserts, according to CAP’s report. 

UNLV’s findings show that all of the congressional districts in Nevada are well above the national average. 

Along with Nevada, Brooking analyzed CAP’s findings in Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado. Of the 21 congressional districts in those five states, Nevada’s four were all among districts with the highest rate of youths living in child care deserts.

CD4, which includes urban parts of Clark County as well as parts of rural Nye, Lyon, and Lincoln counties, has roughly 60,000 total children. About 75% are within a child care desert.

Congressional districts 1 and 3 have roughly 47,000 and 53,000 children respectively. Each had around 66% of children living in a child care desert.

There are roughly 51,000 children in the 2nd Congressional District and 57% – 23,000 children – are located in child care deserts. 

Utah also was another state where every district exceeded the national average. 

On the other end of the spectrum, Arizona’s 4th district in Maricopa County had 54,000 children, with less than 12,000, or 22%, living in a child care desert.  

The findings come months after another Brookings Mountain West report that found Nevada currently ranks 50th in the nation in availability, expense, and state investment in childcare.