The 2026 rate card
One child, standard booking: $25/hr median in South Brooklyn, $30/hr in premium neighborhoods. Two children: $28–35/hr. Three+ children: add $3–5 per extra kid per hour. Infant premium (if any): $3–5/hr. Weekend/evening premium (some services): 10–20%. Brooklyn Sitters sets $25/hr for one, $28/hr for two, +$3/hr per additional — across every day of the week.
What changed from 2024 to 2026
Three structural things. Sitter availability tightened post-pandemic and didn't recover — people who left childcare stayed out. Minimum wage moves pushed the floor up. And the 'trusted sitter' premium widened: families are increasingly willing to pay 20–30% more for a consistent named sitter over a marketplace rotation. The top end stretched; the floor moved up proportionally.
What's probably coming in 2027
Our best guess, not a promise. Rates will continue drifting up 3–5% next year as labor costs do, but not as sharply as 2024–2026. The 'trusted direct' pricing gap over marketplace will keep widening — expect the 2027 top-end to hit $40/hr in premium neighborhoods. If you can lock in a recurring rate with a trusted sitter now, it'll save you real money in 18 months.
How Brooklyn Sitters sets our 2026 rate
We set the rate at $25/hr for one child (standard South Brooklyn median), $28/hr for two, +$3/hr per additional. Travel surcharge based on actual drive distance from our Bergen Beach / Mill Basin base — not a marketplace average. We don't raise the rate for weekends, late nights, or infants. We'll adjust the rate annually based on labor-cost changes and real pressure from our own costs — not on what the market will bear.
Common questions
Why are Brooklyn babysitter rates higher in 2026 than 2024?
Sitter supply dropped post-pandemic and didn't recover. Minimum wage moved. Families increasingly pay a premium for consistency over marketplace matching. Rates settled 8–12% above 2024 and look stable at the new level.
What's the average hourly rate for a babysitter in Brooklyn in 2026?
$25–30/hr for one child, $28–35/hr for two. Premium neighborhoods (Brooklyn Heights, Williamsburg, Park Slope) run 15–20% above that.
Do you raise rates every year?
Not automatically. We review annually against labor-cost and local-market pressure. When we do raise, it's incremental (3–5%) and we tell current families first. Our current 2026 rate has been stable since January.
Are weekend rates higher in 2026?
At some Brooklyn services, yes — typically a 10–20% weekend premium. Brooklyn Sitters doesn't charge a weekend premium; the 2026 rate is the same Saturday as Tuesday.