Lowest-paying jobs in The Villages

·Stacker

Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

The U.S. may be one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but financial inequality prevails within its borders. That divide is growing, 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: 29% of adults lived in low-income households in 2021, 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 highest- and lowest-paying jobs 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.

Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics 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.

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#50. Customer service representatives

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1 / 50

#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

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2 / 50

#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

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3 / 50

#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

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4 / 50

#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)

#45. Driver/sales workers

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#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

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7 / 50

#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

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8 / 50

#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

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9 / 50

#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

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10 / 50

#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)

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#39. Bakers (tie)

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#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)

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#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

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#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

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14 / 50

#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

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#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)

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#35. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators

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16 / 50

#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

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17 / 50

#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

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#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

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19 / 50

#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)

#30. Recreation workers

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#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

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#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

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#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

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24 / 50

#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

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25 / 50

#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)

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#25. Cooks, institution and cafeteria

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#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

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#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

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28 / 50

#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

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#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)

#20. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

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31 / 50

#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

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#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

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#18. Security guards

- Median annual wage: $28,100
- Median hourly wage: $13.51
- Total employment: Not available

#17. Retail salespersons

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34 / 50

#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)

#15. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

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36 / 50

#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

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37 / 50

#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

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38 / 50

#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

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#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

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40 / 50

#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)

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#10. Dishwashers

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#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

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#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

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#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

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44 / 50

#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

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45 / 50

#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)

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#5. Cashiers

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46 / 50

#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

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47 / 50

#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

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48 / 50

#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

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49 / 50

#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)