In Palm Beach, wealth doesn’t just buy mansions—it hires a small army of domestic workers commanding salaries that rival corporate executives. Nannies and housekeepers here can pull in $120,000 to $200,000 a year, a far cry from the national median of $34,000 for such roles. This island, a winter haven for billionaires and celebrities, has turned household help into a high-stakes profession, fueled by sky-high demand and a shrinking labor pool.
Take “Carmen,” a nanny who spoke anonymously. After years in New York’s affluent circles, she arrived in Palm Beach in 2021, hired by a financier’s family for $150,000 annually—plus perks like a car and housing. Her days blend childcare with light housekeeping, but the real challenge is meeting the whims of ultra-rich parents who expect round-the-clock availability. “You’re on their schedule,” she says, recalling late-night calls to soothe a toddler so the family could sleep.
The boom traces back to the pandemic, when remote-working elites flocked south, bringing bigger budgets and bigger asks. Agencies like Elite Nannies on Call report salaries doubling since 2020, with top earners—often with niche skills like teaching or cooking—hitting $90 an hour. Housekeepers, too, cash in: one earns $180,000 managing a 15,000-square-foot estate, overseeing staff and vendors with CEO-level precision.
But the gig isn’t all glamour. Workers describe grueling hours, exacting standards, and little room for error—think ironing sheets just so or sourcing rare baby formula overnight. The labor shortage, worsened by retirees leaving the field and fewer young recruits, gives them leverage, yet many feel the pressure to perform or be replaced. “It’s a golden cage,” one housekeeper admits, torn between the paycheck and the grind.
For Palm Beach’s elite, this is the cost of perfection—six-figure salaries to keep their lives seamless. For the workers, it’s a rare shot at wealth, if they can endure the demands of paradise.
