Daycare near Fort Hood (Fort Cavazos).

Fort Cavazos, formerly Fort Hood, is one of the largest U.S. Army installations by acreage and population, occupying 217,000 acres across Bell and Coryell counties in central Texas. Fort Cavazos is home to III Armored Corps, 1st Cavalry Division, the 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, and a rotating set of brigade combat teams. The installation supports more than 36,000 active-duty service members, 8,000 reservists, 5,500 civilian employees, and roughly 45,000 family members.

This guide is an editorial overview for Fort Cavazos families, not a booking platform. The on-installation and off-installation providers mentioned are included as references; verify Army Child and Youth Services availability through MilitaryChildCare.com and verify civilian provider licensing and openings directly with each operator. Cost ranges below are drawn from the Department of Defense Child and Youth Services 2026 fee schedule, Texas Health and Human Services Child Care Regulation licensing and Texas Rising Star star data, the U.S. Department of Labor National Database of Childcare Prices for Bell and Coryell counties, and Workforce Solutions of Central Texas provider data.

The installation and the commute reality

Fort Cavazos's main cantonment area sits north of Killeen, with major access via U.S. 190 (the Central Texas Expressway), Clear Creek Road, and Tank Destroyer Boulevard. Most childcare within a twenty-minute drive of Fort Cavazos's primary gates is in Killeen, Copperas Cove, Harker Heights, Nolanville, Belton, and parts of Temple. On-installation Army Child Development Centers operate in the main cantonment and the West Fort Cavazos family-housing area. The early-morning Physical Training (PT) and field-exercise schedules common to Fort Cavazos's armored and cavalry units put a premium on extended-hour care and Family Child Care (FCC) home flexibility, with FCC homes on-installation often serving as a primary off-hours and exercise-window care resource.

Cost context

Fort Cavazos-area civilian daycare costs sit at the low end of the Texas range. The U.S. Department of Labor National Database of Childcare Prices and the Workforce Solutions of Central Texas data put the median full-time infant center rate in the Fort Cavazos service area at roughly $850 to $1,250 per month, full-time toddler at $750 to $1,100, and preschool at $650 to $950 for 2026 enrollment. Registered family child care home rates ran 15 to 25 percent below center rates. Texas Rising Star three- and four-star centers in Harker Heights and parts of Belton can list infant tuition at $1,200 to $1,400 per month for full-time enrollment.

How military benefits and Texas subsidies change the math

Fort Cavazos families have access to multiple layered benefits. The on-installation Army Child Development Center (CDC) system charges fees on a sliding scale tied to Total Family Income (TFI), with 2026 monthly fees ranging from roughly $200 at the lowest-income tier to $1,200 at the highest TFI category. CDC fees are materially below the regional civilian market for equivalent infant and toddler care. Priority access goes to children of single active-duty service members, dual-military families, and deployed or geographically separated service members.

When on-installation CDC capacity is full or unavailable, the Army Child Care Fee Assistance program subsidizes off-installation civilian care at participating community providers. Fee assistance reduces the effective family rate to the CDC fee equivalent. The program is administered for the Department of the Army by Child Care Aware of America. Apply through MilitaryChildCare.com after CDC waitlist placement.

For income-eligible families, Texas Child Care Services provides additional voucher support. Eligibility is at or below 85 percent of State Median Income at intake, administered by the Texas Workforce Commission through local Workforce Development Boards. Apply through Workforce Solutions of Central Texas, which serves Bell County and the Fort Cavazos service area. Texas Pre-K provides additional state-funded preschool for four-year-olds in qualifying district programs, with eligibility tied to military-family status, low income, or English language learner status.

Six to eight nearby options

The following are well-known Army CDC and community-licensed providers serving Fort Cavazos families. Each is included as an editorial reference; rates and openings change, and Fort Cavazos parents should apply through MilitaryChildCare.com for on-installation care and check Texas Health and Human Services Child Care Regulation licensing (hhs.texas.gov) for civilian provider status.

• Fort Cavazos Child Development Center (editorial reference) — On-installation Child Development Center operated by Army Child and Youth Services, ages six weeks through pre-K, with priority for active-duty service members.
• Killeen YMCA Child Development Center (editorial reference) — YMCA-operated child development center in Killeen serving Fort Cavazos and Bell County families with Texas subsidy voucher acceptance.
• Copperas Cove Christian Academy Preschool (editorial reference) — Faith-based preschool in Copperas Cove serving Fort Cavazos families with morning and afternoon programs for ages two through pre-K.
• Bell County Head Start at Killeen (editorial reference) — Head Start center serving Bell County families with free comprehensive early-childhood services for income-eligible three- and four-year-olds.
• KinderCare of Harker Heights (editorial reference) — Full-day licensed center in Harker Heights with infant through pre-K and extended-hour programs for military shift schedules.
• Belton Family Child Care Network (editorial reference) — Network of registered family child care homes serving Belton and southeastern Bell County with Texas subsidy acceptance.
• Central Texas College Children's Center (editorial reference) — Community-college child development laboratory school in Killeen, ages eighteen months through pre-K, with Texas Rising Star three- and four-star participation.
• Temple Day Nursery (editorial reference) — Independent licensed day nursery in Temple serving Bell County families, ages six weeks through pre-K.

Frequently asked questions

Is there on-installation daycare at Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood)?

Yes. Fort Cavazos operates Army Child Development Centers (CDCs) and Family Child Care (FCC) homes through Army Child and Youth Services. CDC priority groups are children of single active-duty service members, dual-military families, and service members deployed or geographically separated. Fees are set on a sliding scale tied to total family income (TFI), with 2026 monthly fees ranging from roughly $200 for the lowest-income tier to $1,200 for the highest TFI category. Apply through MilitaryChildCare.com.

What is the Army Fee Assistance Program at Fort Cavazos?

The Army Child Care Fee Assistance program subsidizes off-installation civilian child care for active-duty soldiers and DoD civilians when on-installation CDC capacity is full or unavailable. The program is administered through Child Care Aware of America for the Department of the Army and reduces the effective family rate to the CDC fee equivalent at participating off-installation providers. Apply through MilitaryChildCare.com after CDC waitlist placement.

Are there daycares that accept Texas subsidies near Fort Cavazos?

Yes. Most licensed centers and registered family child care homes in Bell, Coryell, and Lampasas counties accept Texas Child Care Services subsidies (administered through the Texas Workforce Commission and the Workforce Solutions of Central Texas board). Eligibility is at or below 85 percent of State Median Income at intake. Apply through Workforce Solutions of Central Texas, which serves Bell County and the Fort Cavazos service area.

What is the typical infant tuition off-installation near Fort Cavazos?

Full-time infant center care in the Fort Cavazos service area ranges roughly $800 to $1,400 per month for 2026 enrollment, depending on city, provider type, and Texas Rising Star participation. Killeen and Copperas Cove sit at the low-to-mid range; Harker Heights and parts of Belton run somewhat higher. Registered family child care homes typically run $600 to $1,000 for full-time infants.

How do Fort Cavazos families typically structure care?

Most Fort Cavazos families use the on-installation Army CDC as the first choice, with Army Fee Assistance off-installation civilian care as the standard backup when CDC capacity is full. Dual-military and single-soldier households are highest priority for CDC. Many families combine Army CDC for the predictable portion of the workweek with Family Child Care (FCC) home placements on-installation for off-hours coverage during exercises and field rotations. Texas Workforce subsidy is layered for income-eligible families when Army Fee Assistance is not applicable.

Bottom line

Daycare for Fort Cavazos families is meaningfully subsidized through the Army CDC system and the Army Child Care Fee Assistance program, with Texas Child Care Services providing additional support for income-eligible families. The on-installation CDC is materially below the civilian market for infant and toddler care, and Fee Assistance closes the gap when CDC capacity is full. The highest-leverage moves for any Fort Cavazos parent are registering with MilitaryChildCare.com early (deployments and PCS moves drive demand spikes), applying for Texas Child Care Services through Workforce Solutions of Central Texas if income-eligible, enrolling four-year-olds in Texas Pre-K under military-family eligibility, and identifying an extended-hour Family Child Care home early if your unit's schedule requires non-traditional coverage.