Lowest-paying jobs in The Villages
The U.S. may be one of the , but financial inequality prevails within its borders. That divide , especially between the poorest and richest U.S. residents.
The middle class is shrinking. In 2021, just half of adults lived in a middle-income household, a huge drop from 61% in the 70s. This dip meant some middle-class adults broke into the high-income bracket. At the same time, the share of lower-income residents is growing: , compared to 25% in 1971.
Wages over this period grew at all income levels, but the rich got significantly higher bumps. Pew Charitable Trusts found that high incomes grew 69% over the past 50 years, while low incomes grew just 45%. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated and further exposed these harsh financial gaps.
The difference in pay for the in the U.S. last year was over eightfold: from about $28,000 for entertainment attendants to over $251,000 for physicians. Nationally, most of the lowest-paying jobs are in the leisure and accommodation fields: think folks who work in food establishments, at hotels, at recreational facilities like pools and amusement parks, and other service jobs.
used data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in The Villages. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022. Any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
#50. Customer service representatives
- Median annual wage: $35,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 540 people (14.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#49. Pharmacy technicians
- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 170 people (4.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#48. Medical secretaries and administrative assistants
- Median annual wage: $35,220
- Median hourly wage: $16.93
- Total employment: 380 people (10.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#47. Interviewers, except eligibility and loan
- Median annual wage: $35,210
- Median hourly wage: $16.93
- Total employment: 50 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#46. Maintenance and repair workers, general
- Median annual wage: $34,820
- Median hourly wage: $16.74
- Total employment: 380 people (10.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#45. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $34,500
- Median hourly wage: $16.59
- Total employment: 40 people (1.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#44. Phlebotomists
- Median annual wage: $33,650
- Median hourly wage: $16.18
- Total employment: 80 people (2.1 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#43. Data entry keyers
- Median annual wage: $32,630
- Median hourly wage: $15.69
- Total employment: 40 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#42. Community and social service specialists, all other
- Median annual wage: $32,180
- Median hourly wage: $15.47
- Total employment: 30 people (0.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#41. Light truck drivers
- Median annual wage: $32,070
- Median hourly wage: $15.42
- Total employment: 120 people (3.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Bakers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,750
- Median hourly wage: $15.27
- Total employment: 30 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#39. Bus drivers, school (tie)
- Median annual wage: $31,750
- Median hourly wage: $15.27
- Total employment: 70 people (1.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#38. Construction laborers
- Median annual wage: $31,730
- Median hourly wage: $15.25
- Total employment: 650 people (18.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#37. Pest control workers
- Median annual wage: $31,610
- Median hourly wage: $15.20
- Total employment: 50 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#36. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $31,130
- Median hourly wage: $14.97
- Total employment: 40 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#35. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $31,110
- Median hourly wage: $14.96
- Total employment: 70 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#34. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $30,700
- Median hourly wage: $14.76
- Total employment: 490 people (13.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#33. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $30,440
- Median hourly wage: $14.64
- Total employment: 880 people (24.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#32. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,050
- Median hourly wage: $14.45
- Total employment: 370 people (10.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#31. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $30,040
- Median hourly wage: $14.44
- Total employment: 640 people (17.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#30. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $29,660
- Median hourly wage: $14.26
- Total employment: 140 people (3.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#29. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $29,520
- Median hourly wage: $14.19
- Total employment: 180 people (5.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#28. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $28,910
- Median hourly wage: $13.90
- Total employment: 310 people (8.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#27. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $28,820
- Median hourly wage: $13.86
- Total employment: 50 people (1.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#26. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $28,800
- Median hourly wage: $13.85
- Total employment: 40 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#25. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $28,750
- Median hourly wage: $13.82
- Total employment: 160 people (4.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#24. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $28,740
- Median hourly wage: $13.82
- Total employment: 680 people (18.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#23. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Median annual wage: $28,660
- Median hourly wage: $13.78
- Total employment: 170 people (4.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#22. Order clerks
- Median annual wage: $28,640
- Median hourly wage: $13.77
- Total employment: 30 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#21. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $28,580
- Median hourly wage: $13.74
- Total employment: 420 people (11.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#20. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $28,130
- Median hourly wage: $13.52
- Total employment: 60 people (1.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#19. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,110
- Median hourly wage: $13.52
- Total employment: 50 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#18. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $28,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: Not available
#17. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $27,830
- Median hourly wage: $13.38
- Total employment: 1,200 people (33.18 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#16. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $27,710
- Median hourly wage: $13.32
- Total employment: 180 people (4.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#15. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $27,640
- Median hourly wage: $13.29
- Total employment: 120 people (3.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#14. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $27,500
- Median hourly wage: $13.22
- Total employment: 1,180 people (32.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#13. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $27,380
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 190 people (5.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#12. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $27,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.03
- Total employment: 100 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#11. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $27,050
- Median hourly wage: $13.01
- Total employment: 220 people (6.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#10. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $27,040
- Median hourly wage: $13.00
- Total employment: 230 people (6.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#9. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $27,020
- Median hourly wage: $12.99
- Total employment: 420 people (11.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#8. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $26,990
- Median hourly wage: $12.98
- Total employment: 170 people (4.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#7. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $26,290
- Median hourly wage: $12.64
- Total employment: 130 people (3.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#6. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $25,720
- Median hourly wage: $12.37
- Total employment: 240 people (6.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#5. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $25,430
- Median hourly wage: $12.23
- Total employment: 1,170 people (32.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#4. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $24,230
- Median hourly wage: $11.65
- Total employment: 680 people (18.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#3. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $24,040
- Median hourly wage: $11.56
- Total employment: 110 people (2.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#2. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $23,270
- Median hourly wage: $11.19
- Total employment: 210 people (5.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
#1. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $23,110
- Median hourly wage: $11.11
- Total employment: 130 people (3.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
