2026 Edition · An annual reference on what work pays

Chicago vs. New York

Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners. Median, spread and buying power, side by side.

Data released May 2025 BLS OEWS · SOC 37-2012
Fig. 1 — Side by side

Both distributions, one scale

10th to 90th percentile, median struck in red
40k60k80k CHICAGO $37,310 NEW YORK $44,010
Table 1 — Adjusted

New York's median is 18.0% higher — but after local prices, New York still leads by 8.6%.

Chicago's median $37,310 buys $36,000 at national prices (price parity 103.6); New York's $44,010 buys $39,100 (112.6).

Table 2 — The figures

Point by point

Published percentiles for both metros; the last column is New York against Chicago.

ChicagoNew YorkΔ
Employment18,26040,030+119.2%
10th percentile$34,450$35,220+2.2%
25th percentile$35,720$37,500+5.0%
Median$37,310$44,010+18.0%
75th percentile$44,470$56,190+26.4%
90th percentile$51,750$82,540+59.5%
Sources

How this page was made

Wage data
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release. Public domain.
Price parity
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Full pages
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners in Chicago · Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners in New York

Percentiles are reported exactly as released. Derived (price-adjusted) figures round to the nearest hundred. We take no payment for how any figure is presented.