Best Suburbs for Childcare in Melbourne 2026
These are the best childcare access suburbs in Melbourne, drawn from SuburbCheck's data on every Melbourne suburb. Ranked by Childcare Score — a national percentile of quality-weighted childcare service density (ACECQA-registered services per 1,000 residents, weighted by NQS rating). A score of 80 or above places a suburb in the top 20% nationally for childcare access and quality. Scores update as new government data is released.
Last updated 12 June 2026.
- 1Nar Nar GoonVIC 3812 · Cardinia1,023 people98
- 2Red HillVIC 3937 · Mornington Peninsula$1.53M1,009 people97
- 3MoorooducVIC 3933 · Mornington Peninsula1,004 people96
- 4DonnybrookVIC 3064 · Whittlesea$655K2,100 people95
- 5YarrambatVIC 3091 · Nillumbik1,602 people94
- 6Belgrave HeightsVIC 3160 · Yarra Ranges$876K1,398 people92
- 7MeltonVIC 3337 · Melton$463K7,953 people91
- 8The PatchVIC 3792 · Yarra Ranges$872K1,046 people91
- 9ResearchVIC 3095 · Nillumbik$1.12M2,695 people90
- 10Thornhill ParkVIC 3335 · Melton$601K3,066 people90
- 11Yarra JunctionVIC 3797 · Yarra Ranges$696K2,875 people88
- 12CoolarooVIC 3048 · Hume$529K3,193 people87
- 13Junction VillageVIC 3977 · Casey$620K1,051 people87
- 14Kangaroo GroundVIC 3097 · Nillumbik1,208 people87
- 15New GisborneVIC 3438 · Macedon Ranges$824K2,509 people87
- 16Panton HillVIC 3759 · Nillumbik1,063 people87
- 17TooradinVIC 3980 · Casey$895K1,722 people87
- 18WatsoniaVIC 3087 · Banyule$944K5,352 people86
- 19ElsternwickVIC 3185 · Glen Eira$2.17M10,887 people85
- 20BunyipVIC 3815 · Cardinia$718K3,131 people83
- 21KallistaVIC 3791 · Yarra Ranges$871K1,418 people83
- 22MacedonVIC 3440 · Macedon Ranges$1.09M2,073 people83
- 23OfficerVIC 3809 · Cardinia$690K18,503 people83
- 24TecomaVIC 3160 · Yarra Ranges$838K2,064 people83
- 25AlphingtonVIC 3078 · Darebin$2.14M5,702 people82
Frequently asked questions
Which suburb in Melbourne has the best childcare access?
Nar Nar Goon tops SuburbCheck's Childcare Score ranking for Melbourne, with a Childcare Score of 98/100. The score reflects the density of quality-rated childcare services per 1,000 residents, benchmarked against every Australian suburb.
How is the Childcare Score calculated?
The Childcare Score is a national percentile (0–100) based on the density of ACECQA-registered childcare services per 1,000 residents, weighted by NQS rating. Services rated Exceeding or Excellent count more than unrated or Working Towards services. A score of 80 or above puts a suburb in the national top 20% for childcare access and quality.
What types of childcare are included?
The score includes all active ACECQA-registered services: long day care centres, preschools/kindergartens, outside school hours care (OSHC), and family day care. Data is sourced from the ACECQA National Quality Framework Register, updated as new registrations are published.