Finding a good babysitter can be stressful enough, but then on top of that you have to figure out how much to pay for the child care. Fortunately, Care.com has a handy rate calculator to help take the guesswork out of the process. The national average of $16.40 an hour. The average rate is a starting point, though. You can use Care.com’s calculator for an average babysitting rate for your zip code based on the various factors such as your kids’ ages, how many kids need watching, and the sitter’s experience. For example, the hourly rate for Gainesville and Ocala is $12 an hour. Expect to pay more for younger kids, more than one child, and sitters with more experience. Unfortunately for parents, rates for babysitting have increased steadily over the past five years, and economic stress during a pandemic hasn’t made things easier, but a dependable, trustworthy sitter is worth it.