*Housekeepers in South Florida are in high demand, commanding salaries exceeding $150,000 amid fierce competition among mansion owners.
According to CNBC, the influx of wealth from high-tax states to Florida has led to an unprecedented need for household staff in elite communities such as Palm Beach. Staffing agencies report surging demand for butlers, nannies, chefs, drivers, and personal security. However, the scarcity of housekeepers poses the most significant challenge for affluent homeowners, exacerbated by the surge in property purchases and the concurrent competition for cleaning staff from hotels, resorts, and businesses. As a result, housekeeper wages have skyrocketed from around $25 per hour in 2020 to as much as $45 or $50 per hour today.
“I have been placing staff for 30 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said April Berube, founder of The Wellington Agency, which places household staff in Palm Beach, Miami, New York, and other locations, CNBC reports.
“We’ve seen such a boom from people relocating, especially Palm Beach and Miami,” she added.
In Palm Beach, experienced housekeepers typically earn annual salaries ranging from $120,000 to $150,000, alongside benefits such as 401(k) plans, health care coverage, and overtime compensation.
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“For housekeepers it’s wonderful,” Berube said. “For us, it’s extremely difficult. It’s a severe shortage.”
Bidding wars among affluent homeowners are commonplace, and residents relying on staffing agencies are increasingly increasingly frustrated.
“At first, they’re in shock, and they say, ‘No way I’m paying that,’” Berube said, per CNBC. “It’s even uncomfortable for me to give them the numbers. But when they try to hire someone for less, with less experience, they almost always come back to us and say, ‘I learned my lesson. We are willing to pay for the experience.’”
Berube noted that housekeepers working for the wealthy require specialized skills, including cleaning antiques, flatware, and fine art with care, and properly handling fine linens. Due to the scarcity of qualified candidates, she is considering launching a school to train individuals in high-end housekeeping skills to meet the demand.
“I would love to do it, but I don’t have the time, since we’re busy trying to find staff,” Berube said.
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