Palm Beach Housekeepers Are Making $150,000 a Year Due to Massive Demand From the Wealthy
24th May 2024
The mass wealth migration to Florida from New York and other high-tax states has created record demand for household staff in elite Florida enclaves — especially Palm Beach. Demand for butlers (now called “hospitality managers” or “estate managers”) as well as nannies, chefs, drivers and personal security has surged, according to staffing agencies.
It’s the shortage of housekeepers, however, that has created the biggest mess for wealthy homeowners. Many of the wealthy emigres to Florida bought big homes and now need people to clean them. Hotels, resorts and businesses are also vying for cleaning staff. The result: Typical pay for housekeepers has rocketed from about $25 an hour in 2020 to $45 or $50 an hour today, according to some agencies.
Amazing how that works. You might even think that there’s some sort of invisible hand behind it. (Of course, if Florida were New York, there would quickly be government mandates in place to make sure that a set percentage of the help thus hired were formerly UnHoused.)
May 24th, 2024 at 13:47
52 weeks per year times 40 hours per week times $50 per hour is $104,000 per year, a long way from $150,000. But not bad, really.