Business & Tech

Cupertino Parents, Do You Overpay For Babysitting?

Calculate the going rate for childcare in Cupertino.

-----

Babysitting can be a big moneymaker, especially in Silicon Valley.

San Francisco Bay Area babysitters are the best paid in the United States, a recent Huffington Post article reported.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

A babysitter in Cupertino watching one child should be paid between $12.50 and $14.75 an hour, according to online rate calculators, which is better than the recently upped minimum wage of $10 per hour in neighboring San Jose.

That's on par with regional averages: $14 per hour for one child and $19.25 for three children, according to a new report from UrbanSitter.com. The data shows Bay Area parents who use the website pay more for childcare than parents in any of the 13 other U.S. metro areas the site serves.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

“One reason for this disparity is New York has better public transportation,” UrbanSitter’s founder Lynn Perkins told 7x7. "The babysitters say that matters."

UrbanSitter, which started in San Francisco, matches parents and care providers using social networks. Over 9,200 parents and 3,100 sitters are using the service, according to 7x7.

UrbanSitter, along with national networks Care.com and SitterCity.com, provide profiles, reviews and suggested rates to parents selecting babysitters.

The online rate calculator on Care.com put the going rate for a sitter with any experience watching one child in Cupertino at $12.50 an hour. SitterCity.com's rate calcuator figured a babysitter between the ages of 18-21 with little experience should be paid $14.75 an hour in Cupertino. That increases to $15.75 if the sitter is older and has more experience.

Parents, how much do you pay for babysitting in Cupertino? How do you find your sitters? Tell us in the comment section below.

Also on Cupertino Patch:

Volunteer Work Feeds 'Heart and Soul' of Cupertino Woman

Cupertino Church Hosts International Women's Day Event

Lynbrook Girls Basketball Team Thrives as Underdogs

Apple Debuts Its $1099 Education-Only iMac



Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here