Babysitting Rate Increases Show Signs of Slowing, Study Shows

After years of rapidly climbing rates, costs for hourly childcare seem to be stabilizing. Discover hourly rates across all 50 states and where childcare is most affordable here.

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By Wyndi Kappes, Associate Editor

Published January 19, 2024

babysitter reading a book with toddler at home

Image: Lopolo | Shutterstock

If you feel like you’ve been ponying up more and more cash for babysitting you aren’t alone. 2021 and 2022 saw stepp climbs in hourly childcare rates. Notably and 11 percent increase in 2021 and a 9.7 percent increase in 2022. But rising prices there is a light at the end of the tunnel for parents.

A new 2024 study by UrbanSitter, analyzed over fifteen thousand babysitting and childcare jobs, providing insights into the dynamics of childcare costs. In the past year, average babysitting rates in the US have increased by 4.5 percent, slightly outpacing inflation at 3.4 percent, but a marked decrease from previous year’s increases. If you’re in the market for a sitter in 2024, the hourly rates range from $16 to $26, with the national average settling at $23.61 per hour.