How much should you pay a babysitter in Nashville and Middle Tennessee? Start here
Hoping to hire a babysitter in Nashville but not sure how much to pay?
You're not alone. While several factors can determine what a fair wage is for a sitter, we dug into the latest data from care.com, which helps people search for everything from child care to house sitting, to learn more.
Here's what we gathered about the going rate for babysitters around Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
The average starting cost for a babysitter in Nashville is $19.44 per hour, according to 2025 care.com data. The average maximum rate tops out at $29.36 per hour. Those rates are largely on pace with the national average.
However, the data also shows that those averages fluctuate widely across several cities near Nashville. Hendersonville was listed as the lowest average starting rate for sitters at $15.97 per hour, while Mt. Juliet was the highest at $21.03 per hour. Hendersonville was again the lowest average for maximum hourly rates at $24.24, while Thompsons Station topped out at $39.17 per hour.
'It doesn't make sense': Parents say they could spend more than $36K on child care this year
It's important to keep in mind that care.com is just a starting point, and that a fair babysitting rate may also depend on how many children need babysitting, how experienced a sitter is, transportation needs for the children and the sitter, and if the sitter needs to stay overnight.
Find more information on babysitter and other child care costs and services at care.com/cost. Looking for something more in depth? Check out the 2025 Cost of Care Report at care.com/c/cost-of-care-report.
More: At what age can children stay home alone in Tennessee? Here's what law, experts say
Since care.com requires people to be 18 to create a profile as a caregiver, the data is limited to what adults typically make for babysitting. So what about hiring a teenager who lives nearby to babysit?
The short answer: It truly depends on what you and the sitter agree is fair.
As a point of reference, the minimum legal age to work is 14 in Tennessee, and the state's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
It's also a good idea to consider the teen's experience and certifications when determining pay. For example, some teens may opt to complete a Red Cross certification for babysitting, or child first aid and CPR classes. You should also consider the ages, needs and number of children being watched when deciding how much to pay a sitter.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How much to pay a babysitter in Nashville, Middle Tennessee
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