Housewives in Florida are earning six-figure salaries as masses of America’s elite flock to the Sunshine State.
Palm Beach maids and butlers earn up to $150,000 a year as demand for help from new residents far outstrips current supply, staffing companies said. CNBC.
The population of Palm Beach County, including West Palm Beach and Boca Raton, grew about 13 percent between 2010 and 2020, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The influx of newly wealthy residents and growing tourism have created a competitive market in which wages for housewives have risen from about $25 an hour in 2020 to $45 or $50 an hour this year, according to some agencies.
“I’ve been recruiting for 30 years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said April Berube, founder of domestic staffing company The Wellington Agency.
Palm Beach housekeepers now earn between $120,000 and $150,000 a year and have benefits that include 401(k) plans, healthcare and overtime.
‘We have seen a huge boom due to people relocating, especially in Palm Beach and Miami.
“For housewives it’s wonderful,” Berube said. ‘For us it is extremely difficult. “It is a serious shortage.”
Berube said the new high price for hiring high-quality help often surprises his clients.
“At first they’re shocked and say, ‘There’s no way I’m paying that.'” I even find it uncomfortable to give them the numbers,” she stated.
“But when they try to hire someone for less money, with less experience, they almost always come back and say, ‘I learned my lesson. “We’re willing to pay for the experience.”
Palm Beach was the 10th richest city in Florida last year, according to a ranking by Forbes, with a median household income of $332,764 and a staggering median home value of $1,523,100.
The city itself is a symbol of wealth and excess, with superyachts parked in the marina and the streets packed with Lamborghinis and Rolls Royces.
Plus, Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort is there, along with billionaire Paul Tudor Jones’ gigantic $71 million mansion.
The influx of newly wealthy residents in Palm Beach, Florida has created an increase in demand for housekeepers.
Stay-at-home moms now earn between $120,000 and $150,000 a year and have benefits that include 401(k) plans, health care and overtime.
“There has been a drastic change that started with Covid,” said Melissa Psitos, who provides domestic help through her staffing company, Lily Pond Services. The New York Post.
‘These are ultra-high net worth people who want the best and are willing to pay for it. If you have a house worth $100 million, that’s an investment. They want smart people to manage them.
“These are people who can work with high-quality marble surfaces and are not going to ruin your carpet imported from Italy.” They are used to working in luxury houses.