Head Start and Early Head Start in Chicago, IL
191 centers in Chicago (Cook County). 148 offer Early Head Start, from pregnancy to age 3, and 145 offer Head Start preschool for ages 3 to 5. You apply through 34 programs, which report 9,886 funded slots here. It's free if you qualify.
Source: Office of Head Start service locations, as of October 2026. Each program reports its own sites, so call before you visit. Closed sites are left out.
Who qualifies in Illinois
$27,320a year or less for a family of three, or $33,000 for four. That's the 2026 federal poverty line, Head Start's income limit.
You also qualify at any income if you get TANF or SSI, your child is in foster care, or your family is homeless.
Sources: 45 CFR 1302.12; HHS poverty guidelines
Poverty guidelines for every family sizeCenters in Chicago
Listed A to Z. A center may serve only some ages; the tags show which programs it runs.
A-ZMall World Child Development Center
Early Head Start2629 S Lawndale Ave, Chicago, IL 60623
(872) 444-5312Ada S. McKinley Community Services-Bright Scholars (EHS)
Early Head Start8501 S Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60620
(773) 629-8687Ada S. McKinley Community Services-Children's Center (Halsted)
Early Head StartHead Start12803 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 264-5171Ada S. McKinley Community Services-Children's Center (Western)
Early Head StartHead Start7956 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60620
(773) 471-4927Ada S. McKinley Community Services-Dream Child Development
Early Head StartHead Start1836 W 87th St, Chicago, IL 60620
(773) 715-6265Ada S. McKinley Community Services-Garden of Heaven Learning Academy
Early Head Start7634 S Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60620
(773) 703-6292Ada S. McKinley Community Services-Heaven's Learning Garden
Early Head StartHead Start7801 S Wolcott Ave, Chicago, IL 60620
(872) 244-3551Ada S. McKinley Community Services-Little Genius 1
Early Head StartHead Start11439 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 629-8091Ada S. McKinley Community Services-Little Genius 2
Early Head Start1000 W 103rd St, Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 629-8003Ada S. McKinley Community Services-Little Hands
Early Head StartHead Start7146 S Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60636
(773) 471-0662Ada S. McKinley Community Services-McKinley-Greenwood
Early Head Start8741 S Greenwood Ave, Chicago, IL 60619
(773) 887-6593Ada S. McKinley Community Services-McKinley-Trumbull Park
Head Start10534 S Oglesby Ave, Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 978-5341Ada S. McKinley Community Services-Project Org and Design Studio
Early Head Start1401 E 79th St, Chicago, IL 60619
(773) 221-7171Ada S. McKinley Community Services-Stepping Stones CCC
Early Head Start1300 E 75th St, Chicago, IL 60619
(773) 493-0000Ada S. McKinley Community Services-Teeny Tiny University
Early Head StartHead Start6111 S Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago, IL 60637
(773) 952-7311Allison's Infant & Toddler Center - 104th
Early Head StartHead Start901 E 104th St, Chicago, IL 60628
(708) 926-5592Allison's Infant & Toddler Center - 55th
Early Head StartHead Start5522 S Racine Ave, Chicago, IL 60636
(773) 436-3193Allison's Infant & Toddler Center - 71st
Early Head StartHead Start440 E 71st St, # 442, Chicago, IL 60619
(773) 952-4391Board of Trustees - City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College
Early Head StartHead Start710 W 65th St, Bldg Z, Chicago, IL 60621
(773) 602-5481Board of Trustees - City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College Child Development Center
Early Head StartHead Start1900 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 850-7000Board of Trustees - City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College
Early Head StartHead Start10001 S Woodlawn Ave, Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 291-6315Board of Trustees - City Colleges of Chicago-Truman College
Early Head Start1145 W Wilson Ave, Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 907-4741Building Blocks Learning Academy
Early Head StartHead Start1120 W 69th St, Chicago, IL 60621
(773) 488-2222Busy Bees I Child Development Center
Early Head StartHead Start3155 S Shields Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 326-0200Busy Bees II Child Development Center
Early Head StartHead Start2351 S Wentworth Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 888-3167Busy Bees Learning School
Early Head StartHead Start321 W 31st St, Busy Bees II Child, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 837-3511Carole Robertson Center - 1111
Early Head StartHead Start1111 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 243-7300Carole Robertson Center - 2929
Early Head StartHead Start2929 W 19th St, Chicago, IL 60623
(773) 521-1600Carole Robertson Center - 3701
Early Head StartHead Start3701 W Ogden Ave, Chicago, IL 60623
(773) 522-8400Carole Robertson Center - Albany Park
Early Head StartHead Start5101 N Kimball Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 509-5657Carole Robertson Center - KIPP Microcenter
Head Start1440 S Christiana Ave, Chicago, IL 60623
(312) 243-7300Carole Robertson Center - Legacy Microcenter
Head Start3318 W Ogden Ave, Chicago, IL 60623
(312) 243-7300Casa Central Early Learning Academy Center Based
Early Head StartHead Start1343 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 645-2300Casa Central Early Learning Academy Home-Based
Early Head Start1335 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 645-2410Centers for New Horizons - Altgeld Ingleside
Early Head StartHead Start13107 S Ingleside Ave, Chicago, IL 60827
(773) 468-3055Chicago Commons - Eyes on the Future
Early Head Start6969 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 973-0771Chicago Commons - Lakeshore Learning Academy
Early Head StartHead Start1933 E 87th St, Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 359-2100Chicago State University - Dr. Kanis
Early Head StartHead Start9501 S King Dr, Chicago, IL 60628
(708) 330-4490Chicago Youth Centers-Calumet Heights
Early Head Start9207 S Phillips Ave, Chicago, IL 60617
(312) 913-1700Chicago Youth Centers-Dorothy Gautreaux
Early Head StartHead Start975 E 132nd St, Chicago, IL 60827
(773) 291-1000Chicago Youth Centers-George E Taylor
Early Head Start3232 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60651
(773) 489-3157Chicago Youth Centers-Graham Crackers
Head Start10650 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 468-1128Chicago Youth Centers-Graham Crackers II
Early Head StartHead Start1 E 113th St, Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 568-7611Chicago Youth Centers-Kidz Creative Concepts Learning Center #2
Early Head Start548 E 63rd St, Chicago, IL 60637
(773) 752-5439Chicago Youth Centers-Little Kiddies
Early Head StartHead Start1501 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60660
(773) 465-7702Chicago Youth Centers-Pathways to Learning Child Care Center
Early Head StartHead Start3450 W 79th St, # 56, Chicago, IL 60652
(773) 436-9244Chicago Youth Centers-Pathways to Learning Infant Center
Early Head Start3438 W 79th St, Chicago, IL 60652
(773) 436-5439Chicago Youth Centers-Pathways to Learning-Kedzie
Early Head StartHead Start6535 S Kedzie Ave, # 41, Chicago, IL 60629
(773) 778-0018Chicago Youth Centers-Rebecca K. Crown
Early Head StartHead Start7601 S Phillips Ave, Chicago, IL 60649
(773) 731-0444Chicago Youth Centers-Sidney Epstein Center
Head Start3415 W 13th Pl, Chicago, IL 60623
(773) 762-5655Children's International Academy
Early Head StartHead Start5858 W Roosevelt Rd, Chicago, IL 60644
(773) 287-0808Children's Place Association Family Center
Early Head Start1800 N Humboldt Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 395-9193Children's Place Association Family Center
Head Start1800 N Humboldt Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 395-9193Children's Place Association Home Visiting
Early Head Start3059 W Augusta Blvd, Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 826-1230Chinese American Service League (CASL)
Early Head StartHead Start2141 S Tan Ct, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 791-0418Christopher House-Belmont Cragin
Early Head StartHead Start5235 W Belden St, Chicago, IL 60639
(773) 922-7500Christopher House-Uptown
Early Head StartHead Start4701 N Winthrop Ave, Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 769-4540East Side Development Center
Early Head StartHead Start13338 S Brandon Ave, Chicago, IL 60633
(773) 646-2223Easterseals EHS Home Based Program
Early Head Start1939 W 13th St, Ste 300, Chicago, IL 60608
(708) 330-4541El Valor Corporation-Carlos Cantu
Early Head StartHead Start2434 S Kildare Ave, Chicago, IL 60623
(773) 242-2700El Valor Corporation-Centro Infantil (Puerto Rican Community Center)
Early Head StartHead Start1345 N Rockwell St, Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 342-8866El Valor Corporation-Guadalupe Reyes Children & Family Center
Early Head StartHead Start1951 W 19th St, Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 997-2021El Valor Corporation-Infant Welfare Society of Chicago
Early Head Start3600 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 242-2700El Valor Corporation-Power Daycare
Early Head StartHead Start725 W 123rd St, Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 568-5794El Valor Corporation-Rey Gonzalez Children & Family Center
Early Head StartHead Start3050 E 92nd St, Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 721-9311El Valor Corporation-Smart Learning Center
Head Start2980 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 823-2349El Valor Corporation-Teddy Bear 1
Early Head StartHead Start2649 W 51st St, Chicago, IL 60632
(773) 476-0700El Valor Corporation-Young Scholars Dev. Ins.
Early Head StartHead Start3038 W 59th St, Chicago, IL 60629
(773) 918-1944Erie Neighborhood House
Early Head StartHead Start1701 W Superior St, Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 243-7300Erie Neighborhood House - Erie Community Center
Early Head Start1701 W Superior St, Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 563-5800Eyes on the Future
Early Head StartHead Start6969 N Ravenswood Ave, Ste A, Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 973-0771Family Focus, Inc. - Family Focus (South Shore)
Early Head Start7037 S Stony Island Ave, Chicago, IL 60649
(773) 643-0452Gads Hill - Literacy Zone
Early Head StartHead Start5831 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60636
(773) 306-0856Guadalupano Family Center
Early Head StartHead Start1814 S Paulina St, Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 666-3883Henry Booth House Hegewisch
Early Head StartHead Start2725 E 130th St, Chicago, IL 60633
(773) 646-2400Henry Booth House Home Visiting
Early Head Start2907 S Wabash Ave, Ste 205, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 949-3600Howard Area Community Center - The Family Center
Early Head Start7510 N Ashland Ave, the Family Center, Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 764-7610It takes A Village (River City)
Early Head StartHead Start800 S Wells St, Ste 180, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 675-0053It Takes a Village - It Takes a Village (4020)
Early Head Start4020 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60651
(773) 953-5486Jellybean Learning Center (74th)
Early Head StartHead Start7411 S Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago, IL 60619
(773) 846-7396Kimball Day Care - Diversey Day Care
Early Head StartHead Start3155 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 342-7777Kimball Day Care - Kimball Day Care
Early Head StartHead Start1636 N Kimball Ave, # 38, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 235-7200Kimball Day Care - North Star Child Development Center
Early Head StartHead Start4341 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60639
(773) 252-9200Learn Together Grow Together # 1
Early Head StartHead Start1126 W 99th St, Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 568-4769Learn Together Grow Together # 2
Early Head StartHead Start1455 W 63rd St, Chicago, IL 60636
(773) 321-5096Learn Together Grow Together # 3
Early Head StartHead Start5124 S Western Ave, # 26, Chicago, IL 60609
(773) 498-8332Little Angels Family Day Care
Early Head StartHead Start6701 S Emerald Ave, Chicago, IL 60621
(773) 488-8777Little Dreamers Learning Center
Early Head StartHead Start3707 W 63rd St, Chicago, IL 60629
(312) 243-7300Loop Learning Center
Early Head StartHead Start2001 S Michigan Ave, N/a, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 225-8828Marillac St. Vincent De Paul Center
Early Head Start2145 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 943-6776Mary Crane League - Archdiocese-St. Ethelreda
Head Start8734 S Paulina St, Chicago, IL 60620
(773) 238-1757Mary Crane League - Little Achievers Learning Center
Early Head StartHead Start3801 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 276-1600Mary Crane League - Mary Crane Center (Lake and Pulaski)
Early Head StartHead Start316 N Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60624
(773) 265-5954Mary Crane League - Mary Crane Center (Molade Child Dev.)
Early Head StartHead Start1120 N Lamon Ave, Chicago, IL 60651
(773) 287-7365Mary Crane League - Mary Crane Center (Morse)
Early Head StartHead Start1545 W Morse Ave, Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 262-1390Mary Crane League - Mary Crane Center North Site
Early Head StartHead Start2905 N Leavitt St, Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 938-8133Metropolitan Family Services - Learning and Wellness
Early Head StartHead Start5338 S Loomis Blvd, Chicago, IL 60609
(312) 243-7300Metropolitan Family Services - Midway Children's Center
Early Head StartHead Start3215 W 63rd St, Chicago, IL 60629
(312) 243-7300Metropolitan Family Services - North Side Center
Early Head StartHead Start3255 N Central Ave, Chicago, IL 60634
(312) 243-7300Metropolitan Family Services - South East Home Visiting
Early Head Start3062 E 91st St, Chicago, IL 60617
(312) 243-7300Mitzi Freidheim Englewood Child and Family Center-Early Head Start
Early Head StartHead Start1701 W 63rd St, Chicago, IL 60636
(773) 476-6998Montessori School of Englewood-The Montessori School of Englewood
Head Start6936 S Hermitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60636
(773) 535-9142N & K Corporation - Rainbow Daycare
Early Head Start3250 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 478-8182Northwestern University Settlement House
Early Head StartHead Start1400 W Augusta Blvd, Chicago, IL 60642
(773) 278-7471One Hope United Bridgeport Child Development Center I
Head Start3053 S Normal Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
(312) 842-5566Onward Neighborhood House
Early Head StartHead Start5423 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60639
(773) 622-3215Onward Neighborhood House- Home Based
Early Head StartHead Start5423 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60639
(773) 622-3215Positive Attitudes Working Daycare
Early Head StartHead Start757 N Austin Blvd, Chicago, IL 60644
(773) 921-0622Salvation Army - Creative Little Ones
Early Head StartHead Start2809 W 59th St, Chicago, IL 60629
(773) 476-2562Salvation Army - Simpson Academy H.S
Early Head Start1321 S Paulina St, Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 492-7799Seeds of Joy Daycare & Fitness Center Inc.
Head Start850 W Eastwood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 944-1194Serving All Families Everywhere 2
Early Head StartHead Start2141 W 79th St, Chicago, IL 60620
(773) 420-3828SGA Youth & Family Services Brighton Park Home Visiting
Early Head Start3501 W 48th Pl, Chicago, IL 60632
(312) 663-0305Shining Star Youth and Community Services-Shining Star #1
Early Head StartHead Start3012 E 92nd St, # 16, Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 978-7827Shining Star Youth and Community Services-Shining Star #2
Early Head StartHead Start854 E 79th St, Chicago, IL 60619
(773) 488-7827Shining Star Youth and Community Services-Shining Star #3
Early Head StartHead Start338 E 103rd St, Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 995-7827Shining Star Youth and Community Services-Shining Star #4
Early Head StartHead Start10540 S Ewing Ave, Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 768-7827Star Kids Math & Science Academy
Early Head StartHead Start11053 S Vincennes Ave, Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 779-5900Start Early Healthy Parents & Babies Home Visiting
Early Head Start100 N Western Ave, Ste 200, Chicago, IL 60612
(773) 373-8670Taylor Center for New Experiences
Early Head StartHead Start1633 N Hamlin Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 227-8551Trinity United Church of Christ - Dr. Deton J. Brooks Child Development Center
Early Head StartHead Start6921 S Stony Island Ave, Chicago, IL 60649
(773) 966-1603Trinity United Church of Christ - Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Early Care and Learning Center
Early Head StartHead Start532 W 95th St, Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 966-1503Viva Child and Family Center
Early Head Start100 N Western Ave, Ste 2, Chicago, IL 60612
(312) 455-5200Wee Care Nursery School & Kindergarten
Early Head StartHead Start1845 E 79th St, Chicago, IL 60649
(773) 221-4442YMCA - Jeanne Kenney Day Care Center
Early Head Start7600 S Parnell Ave, Chicago, IL 60620
(773) 886-1216
Where to apply in Chicago
You apply to the program, not to one center. Each number here is the program's enrollment line: staff check whether you qualify, tell you which centers have room, and add you to the waiting list if they're full. Counts are centers in Chicago.
- (312) 949-3600 ext. 3602
Henry Booth House
- (708) 330-4490
Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago, Inc.
- (312) 243-7300
Carole Robertson Center for Learning
- No line reported
Ada S. McKinley Community Services
- (312) 913-1700
Chicago Youth Centers
- (312) 922-3863
Recipient - Start Early
- (312) 666-4511
El Valor Corporation
- (312) 922-3863
Start Early
- (773) 638-5600
Chicago Commons Association
- (312) 226-0963
Gads Hill Center
- (312) 265-3900
YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago
- (773) 242-2860
Mary Crane League
- (312) 553-2856
City Colleges of Chicago
- (773) 734-7827
Shining Star Youth and Community Services
- (708) 926-5592
Allisons Infant & Toddler Center Inc.
- No line reported
Kimball Daycare
- No line reported
Learn Together Grow Together
- (773) 493-4791
Salvation Army
- (773) 476-6998
Brightpoint
- (773) 645-2316
Casa Central Children's Services
- (773) 769-4540
Christopher House
- (773) 622-3215
Onward Neighborhood House
- (773) 966-1517
Trinity United Church of Christ Child Care Centers, Inc.
- (773) 373-5700
Centers for New Horizons, Inc.
- No line reported
Community Education Network It Takes a Village Family of Schools
- (312) 563-5800
Erie Neighborhood House
- No line reported
Eyes on the Future
- No line reported
Family Focus, Inc.
- (773) 764-7610
Howard Area Community Center
- No line reported
N & K Corporation
- No line reported
Northwestern University Settlement House
- (312) 949-4045
One Hope United
- No line reported
Serendipity Child Care Inc.
- No line reported
The Montessori School of Englewood
New to Head Start? Who qualifies, what it costs and how applying works
Help paying for child care
- Child care assistance (subsidies) by stateWhen Head Start is full or your income is a little higher
- 2026 federal poverty guidelinesThe income table Head Start uses
- Child care cost by countyWhat daycare costs in Illinois
- How much childcare costsCenter, home daycare and nanny prices
- WIC income limitsFood help for pregnancy and children under 5