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Head Start and Early Head Start in New Jersey

196 centers in 86 cities and towns, run by 28 programs. 109 offer Early Head Start, from pregnancy to age 3, and 156offer Head Start preschool for ages 3 to 5. 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 New Jersey

$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 size

Head Start by city in New Jersey

14 cities have 3 or more centers and a page of their own, most centers first.

Where to apply in New Jersey

You apply to a program, not to one center. Each number here is the program's enrollment line: staff can tell you which of its centers have room and add you to a waiting list.

  • Tri-County Community Action Agency, Inc.

    29 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (856) 453-0803 ext. 6676

  • The Newark Public Schools

    14 centers · Head Start

    (973) 350-5747

  • The Leaguers Inc.

    13 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (973) 643-0300

  • Center for Family Resources, Inc.

    12 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (973) 962-0055

  • Greater Bergen Community Action, Inc.

    12 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (973) 546-2634

  • Northwest New Jersey Community Action Program, Inc

    10 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (908) 454-8830

  • HOPES Community Action Partnership, Inc.

    9 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (201) 656-3711 ext. 1111

  • Acelero, Inc.

    8 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (212) 289-2402

  • East Orange Child Development Corporation

    8 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (973) 266-5380

  • Quality Care Resource and Referral Services, Inc.

    8 centers · Early Head Start

    (856) 628-8600

  • Acelero Learning Camden/Philadelphia

    7 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start · for Acelero, Inc.

    (215) 235-3196

  • Acelero Learning Monmouth/Middlesex County

    7 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start · for Acelero, Inc.

    (725) 780-6257

  • Center for Family Services, Inc.

    7 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (856) 964-1990 ext. 219

  • La Casa de Don Pedro, Inc.

    7 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    No line reported

  • The Children's Home Society of New Jersey

    6 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (609) 695-6274 ext. 137

  • North Hudson Community Action Corporation, Inc.

    5 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (201) 617-0901 ext. 25611

  • O.C.E.A.N., Inc.

    5 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (732) 244-5333 ext. 1227

  • The Leaguers

    5 centers · Early Head Start

    (973) 643-0300

  • Montclair Child Development Center, Inc.

    4 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (973) 783-0220 ext. 1012

  • B.E.O.F. Community Action Partnership

    3 centers · Head Start

    (201) 437-7702

  • Passaic Family Head Start, Inc.

    3 centers · Head Start

    (973) 365-5808

  • Union Township Community Action Organization Inc.

    3 centers · Early Head Start

    (908) 686-6150 ext. 115

  • Yeled v'Yalda Early Childhood Center, Inc.

    3 centers · Head Start

    (718) 686-3700 ext. 2400

  • Head Start Community Program of Morris County, Inc.

    2 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (973) 989-9052

  • Quality Care Resource and Referral Services

    2 centers · Early Head Start and Head Start

    No line reported

  • Yeled V'Yalda Early Childhood Center

    2 centers · Early Head Start

    (718) 686-3700 ext. 2400

  • Clinton Hill Early Head Start

    1 center · Early Head Start

    (973) 926-3999

  • Ironbound Community Corporation

    1 center · Early Head Start and Head Start

    (973) 589-6873

Centers in smaller towns in New Jersey

83 centers in 72 towns with fewer than 3 centers each, A to Z.

Atlantic City · 1

  • Gateway Head Start Early Education Center

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 1433 Bacharach Blvd

    (609) 487-4540

Bayville · 1

Belleville · 1

  • MCDC-Hornblower Early Childhood Center

    Head Start · 229 Main St

    (973) 783-0220

Bergenfield · 1

  • Bergenfield Head Start

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 100 Portland Ave

    (201) 384-9885

Blackwood · 1

Brick · 1

Browns Mills · 1

  • Brown Mills

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 405 Lakehurst Rd

    (856) 964-2100

Clayton · 1

  • Golden Gate Inc.- Clayton

    Early Head Start · 253 Maple St

    (856) 863-4900

Clementon · 1

Cliffside Park · 1

  • Cliffside Park Head Start

    Head Start · 263 Lafayette Ave

    (201) 366-1020

Delanco · 1

  • Delanco

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 2431 Burlington Ave

    (856) 964-2100

Denville · 1

Deptford · 1

Dover · 1

  • Head Start Community Program of Morris County, Inc.

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 18 Thompson Ave

    (973) 989-1430

East Windsor · 1

Egg Harbor Township · 1

  • Spruce- Egg Harbor Township

    Head Start · 3050 Spruce Ave

    (609) 957-6953

Elizabeth · 1

  • 1189 E Broad

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 1189 E Broad St

    (908) 629-9199

Ewing · 1

  • Ewing/Lawrence

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 100 Scotch Rd

    (609) 771-4076

Flemington · 1

  • Flemington Early Head Start

    Early Head Start · 116 Main St

    (908) 824-2525

Freehold · 1

Galloway · 2

  • Collaborations-Children Academy

    Head Start · 213 E Jimmie Leeds Rd

    (856) 453-0803

  • Galloway Head Start

    Head Start · 28 S New York Rd, Ste C

    (609) 380-2544

Garfield · 1

Glassboro · 2

  • Glassboro Head Start

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 35 Sewell St

    (856) 307-2299

  • Great Start Learning Center

    Early Head Start · 1104 Delsea Dr N

    (856) 589-2008

Glen Ridge · 1

  • MCDC-Baldwin Street Site

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 272 Baldwin St

    (973) 748-5901

Hackensack · 2

Hackettstown · 1

  • Hackettstown Head Start and Early Head Start

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 226 Main St

    (908) 452-5803

Hammonton · 1

Hewitt · 1

  • Center for Family Resources, Inc. - West Milford

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 41 Henry Rd

    (973) 853-2020

Irvington · 2

Kearny · 1

Lindenwold · 1

Linwood · 1

  • Linwood Head Start

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 2115 New Rd

    (609) 385-9473

Lumberton · 1

  • Lumberton Center

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 100 Maple Grove Blvd

    (856) 964-2100

Manchester · 1

  • Manchester Center

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 2950 Wilbur Ave

    (732) 657-8076

Mays Landing · 1

  • Atlantic Cape Community College Early Learning Center 2

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 5046 Black Horse Pike

    (609) 837-0021

Millville · 2

  • Golden Gate - Millville

    Early Head Start · 250 Rieck Ave

    (856) 205-0556

  • Quality Care Head Start - Millville

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 113 S 5th St

    (856) 628-8600

Montclair · 1

  • MCDC-Fulton Street

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 33 Fulton St

    (973) 783-0220

Morris Plains · 1

  • Robert C. Grant Head Start Center

    Head Start · 1 Medical Dr

    (862) 437-9599

Neptune City · 1

  • Neptune

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 200 State Route 35 N

    (732) 776-6248

Newton · 1

  • Newton Head Start and Early Head Start

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 111 Ryerson Ave

    (973) 300-4091

Newtonville · 1

North Bergen · 1

North Brunswick · 2

Oaklyn · 1

Orange · 1

  • MCDC-Orange Site

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 261 William St

    (973) 674-0166

Paterson · 2

  • Eastside Head Start

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 500 E 35th St

    (973) 546-2634

  • Westside Head Start

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 265 Totowa Ave

    (973) 546-2634

Paulsboro · 1

  • Paulsboro Head Start

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 901 N Delaware St

    (856) 423-7096

Penns Grove · 1

  • Penns Grove 2

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 11 N Broad St

    (856) 351-0268

Perth Amboy · 1

  • Second Street

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 132 2nd St

    (732) 826-7530

Phillipsburg · 2

  • Fisher Head Start

    Head Start · 535 Fisher Ave, Ste C

    (908) 454-5936

  • Roseberry Early Head Start

    Early Head Start · 604 Roseberry St

    (908) 213-6873

Pleasantville · 1

  • Pleasantville Head Start

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 49 S Main St

    (609) 241-6663

Pompton Lakes · 1

  • Center for Family Resources, Inc. - Pompton Lakes

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 59 Hamburg Tpke

    (973) 907-4627

Red Bank · 1

  • Red Bank

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 144 Drs James Parker Blvd

    (732) 842-8190

Ringoes · 1

  • Ringoes Head Start

    Head Start · 79 Highway 202/31 N, Suites 200-202

    (908) 284-4757

Ringwood · 1

  • Center For Family Resources, Inc. - Ringwood

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 12 Morris Rd

    (973) 962-0055

Roselle · 1

Somerset · 2

  • HOPES CAP, Inc. Belmont Center

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 113 Belmont Dr

    (201) 795-3432

  • HOPES CAP, Inc. Hamilton Center

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 900 Hamilton St

    (201) 795-3432

South Amboy · 1

South River · 1

Stanhope · 1

Swedesboro · 1

  • Quality Care Head Start - Swedesboro

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 700 2nd St, Suites A & B

    (856) 628-8600

Toms River · 1

  • OCEAN, Inc Child Development Center (Toms River)

    Head Start · 1 College Dr

    (732) 864-1401

Union City · 1

  • Union City 4th

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 401 Palisade Ave

    (201) 863-7511

Vauxhall · 1

Villas · 1

  • Villas Head Start

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 700 Bayshore Rd

    (609) 435-5146

Wantage · 1

  • Wantage Head Start and Early Head Start

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 9 Boulder Hills Blvd

    (908) 454-8830

Washington · 1

Wayne · 1

  • Center for Family Resources, Inc. - Wayne

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 45 Reinhardt Rd

    (973) 389-0011

Wenonah · 1

  • Golden Gate -Wenonah

    Early Head Start · 645 Georgetown Rd

    (856) 628-8600

West New York · 2

  • 5800 Kennedy Boulevard

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 5800 Kennedy Blvd

    (201) 617-0901

  • West New York 67th St.

    Head Start · 314 67th St

    (201) 662-7722

Williamstown · 2

  • Gloucester Learning Academy

    Early Head Start · 1117 N Black Horse Pike Suites A & B

    (856) 628-8600

  • Williamstown Head Start

    Early Head Start and Head Start · 245 Glassboro Rd

    (856) 262-9438

Woodbine · 1

Head Start in nearby states

Help paying for child care

Other benefits in New Jersey

Having a baby in New JerseyBenefits, each with its source, checked October 2026Pregnancy MedicaidUp to 205% FPLWICYesPaid family leaveYesMedicaid pays for a doulaYesSee New Jersey