How Much Should You Pay For A Babysitter? Here are The Average Rates For 2019

What's the going rate for a babysitter in 2019? That can be a tough question to answer, and a lot of factors can go into deciding on a rate. The website UrbanSitter.com conducts an annual child care study, which analyzes "more than 28,000 families across the U.S." to determine the national average hourly rate, as well as the going rates in most major metropolitan areas around the country.

Their 2019 study says the nationwide average for babysitting one child is $16.75, while it bumps up to $19.26 for two children, and lands at $20.76 for three children. Some places around the country end up higher or lower than that, with San Francisco being the most expensive at $18.75 for one child and Las Vegas being the least expensive at $11.63 for one child.

The study doesn't break down state averages, but does point out costs for specific cities. The Twin Cities area (Minneapolis) does come in lower than the national average, with the hourly cost for one child being $13.94 on average and $14.68 for two kids. You'd expect larger metropolitan areas to be more expensive than smaller towns and cities or rural areas, so Duluth and Superior might hold an average hourly rate lower than that.

The one thing the study doesn't clarify is how many of these hourly rates are from professionals versus neighbor kids or family members that might offer a whole different pay scale.

We want to know, how much do you pay per hour for a babysitter here in the Twin Ports?