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Babysitter and Nanny Facts 2019

Below you will find a variety of facts and trends about the babysitting and nanny industry, demographic data, as well as some fun and random historical facts:

Babysitting and Nanny Facts:

  • The national average hourly rate for a babysitter is $13.75 for one kid.
  • The national average hourly rate for a nanny is $15.50 for one kid.
  • The Red Cross recommends teenagers are old enough to start babysitting at around 13 years of age.
  • Less than 40% of babysitters and nannies are CPR and/or first aid certified.
  • 51% of families say they have had a hard time finding a sitter (Care.com)

Babysitter and Nanny Demographic Data:

  • Single family nanny services are declining, as more families turn to nanny-share to both save money and increase socialization.
  • Less than 5% of professional nannies are male, but male nannies (or mannies) are becoming more popular in recent years.
  • According to Care.com, these are the five most expensive and least expensive cities for babysitters:
    • Most expensive:
    • San Francisco
    • San Jose
    • Boston
    • New York
    • Washington DC
    • Least expensive:
    • Grand Rapids
    • Columbia (SC)
    • Rochester
    • Salt Lake City
    • Akron
  • The most commonly preferred sitter profile matches the following: CPR and first aid certified, non-smokers, between the ages of 20-25.

Historical Facts about Babysitting:

  • Babysitting used to be called “bratting.”
  • Babysitting was popularized in the 1920s in the United States.
  • For many teens, babysitting has been a first job, dating back as far as the 1950s when the practice was popularized in the United States.