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Sector

Careers in Household & Domestic Services

Household and domestic services provides personal and home assistance โ€” cleaning, childcare, elder care, and related services. Work is in private homes with varied arrangements.

407K
U.S. jobs
In this sector
โ€”
Median salary
Across all roles
Household & Domestic Services jobs by metro area
Bubble size = total employment
Household & Domestic Services employment by metro ยท ~393 areas
1.New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ10K
2.Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA7K
3.Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN5K
4.Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX4K
5.Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL4K

Jobs per 100K workforce โ€” measures industry density

1.Lexington-Fayette, KY265.8
2.Hot Springs, AR191.5
3.Ocala, FL178.4
4.New Orleans-Metairie, LA173.6
5.Athens-Clarke County, GA170.9
BLS OEWS May 2024
Understanding this Sector
What it's like to work in Household & Domestic Services

Household and domestic services help families manage homes โ€” there's satisfaction in helping people with daily life, trusted relationships, and work that makes households function. Many find meaning in personal service.

The challenge can come from employment structure and boundaries. Domestic workers often face informal arrangements without standard protections. Boundaries in personal spaces require navigation. Pay varies significantly. The work can be isolating.

The field varies by service and arrangement. Housekeeping differs from childcare, elder care, or personal assistance. Live-in differs from hourly. Direct employment differs from agency placement.

For those who thrive here, the rewards can include: personal relationships, schedule flexibility, trusted role in families, and meaningful daily impact. If you want domestic service careers, can navigate personal boundaries, and find good employers, household work offers opportunities for those who thrive in private settings.

How people break in

Entry is accessible โ€” references and reliability matter most. Experience with specific duties (cooking, childcare, property management) helps for specialized positions. Agencies can provide placement and some structure.

Work environment tends toward
Private homesPersonal relationshipsVariable compensationPhysical workInformal employment common
Industries it connects to
ChildcareReal EstateHospitalityHealthcare
Salary vs. national average
โ€”
โ€” median vs. $71K national

What the data says about this sector

Beyond salary and job counts โ€” signals that shape the day-to-day experience of working in Household & Domestic Services.

๐Ÿšช
Annual Quit Rate
Based on all Consumer Services data
26%
Higher than average turnover. This could indicate challenging conditions, seasonal work, or abundant external opportunities.
โ†‘ 4%vs. 22% all industries
๐Ÿค
Union Presence
Based on all Consumer Services data
~6%
Minimal union coverage means compensation is individually negotiated. Know your market rate going in.
โ†“ 6%vs. 11% all industries
BLS JOLTS 2024 ยท BLS QCEW 2024 ยท O*NET Work Context ยท BLS Union Members Summary 2024

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) ยท BLS JOLTS 2024 ยท BLS QCEW 2024 ยท O*NET Work Context ยท BLS Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034
Truest editorial: Industry narrative, sector context, career track mapping, working signals analysis.