House Cleaning Cost by State: 2026 BLS Data Guide

House cleaning typically costs $120 to $280 per standard visit nationwide, or $25 to $50 per cleaner per hour, according to Angi and HomeGuide market data. The exact price in your state depends heavily on local labor costs -- which vary from $13.06 per hour in Alabama to $24.78 per hour in Hawaii according to BLS OES data for occupation 37-2012.

House cleaning costs vary meaningfully from state to state, and the reason is straightforward: regional labor costs shape what cleaning companies must pay their workers, which in turn shapes what they charge clients. This guide presents real BLS occupational wage data for maids and housekeeping cleaners by state, explains what that data means for the price you pay, and gives you a framework for reading local quotes in context.

What the BLS Wage Data Actually Measures

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program surveys employers annually on wages paid to workers in hundreds of occupations. Occupation code 37-2012 covers maids and housekeeping cleaners -- the largest single occupation in the residential cleaning industry.

The figures in the table below are the median hourly wages earned by workers in this occupation in each state, drawn from BLS OES data published in 2025 (from the May 2024 survey cycle). The national median is $16.66 per hour.

This wage is not what you pay a cleaning service. A client-facing hourly rate is higher because it also covers employer payroll taxes, general liability insurance, bonding, workers compensation, vehicle costs, scheduling overhead, and the company's operating margin. An independent cleaner working for themselves faces similar costs in different form -- self-employment tax, their own insurance, equipment, and marketing. The BLS wage explains regional differences; your local quote tells you the actual price.

State-by-State BLS Median Hourly Wage for Cleaners

The table below shows the BLS OES median hourly wage for occupation 37-2012 (Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners) for 26 states, plus the national figure. Data is from BLS OES published 2025, covering the May 2024 survey period, accessed via O*NET OnLine (onetonline.org), which distributes BLS OEWS figures directly.

The "Approximate Client Price Range" column is a caveated regional estimate based on Angi and HomeGuide market surveys for a standard visit on a typical 3-bedroom home. These are approximate ranges only -- confirm current pricing locally before booking.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, OES code 37-2012, published 2025 (May 2024 survey period), via ONET OnLine. Client price ranges are approximate, based on Angi and HomeGuide market survey data for a standard visit on a typical 3-bedroom home. Actual prices vary by home size, condition, frequency, and provider. Always confirm current pricing locally.*

Why State Wages Vary So Much

A $24.78 median in Hawaii versus $13.06 in Alabama is an 89 percent gap. Three forces explain most of it.

State minimum wages. States set their own wage floors, and those floors have moved sharply in recent years. California, New York, Washington, and Massachusetts have minimum wages well above the federal level, which compresses the lower end of cleaner wages upward. Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina rely on the federal minimum, leaving a wider range below the BLS national median.

Cost of living and competing employers. Cleaning workers in Hawaii and Nevada compete for workers with the hospitality sector, which pays a premium for similar physical labor. That competition pushes the baseline for residential cleaners higher. In rural Midwest and Southeast markets, fewer competing employers and lower housing costs mean workers accept lower wages.

Unionization and labor market tightness. Metro areas with tight labor markets -- greater New York, the Bay Area, Seattle -- see wage pressure across service occupations. Cleaners who can earn $18 to $20 per hour in Seattle have less incentive to work for less. The result shows in the BLS data.

For a broader look at how home size, clean type, and pricing models interact with regional costs, see our guide to average house cleaning rates.

How to Use This Data When Getting Quotes

The table gives you calibration, not a price list. Here is how to apply it practically.

Step 1: Locate your state's BLS wage. If your state is not in the table, compare it to a neighbor or a state with a similar cost of living and minimum wage. States in the same regional cluster tend to fall within $1 to $2 of each other.

Step 2: Compare to the national median. Your state's wage relative to the $16.66 national median tells you whether to expect prices above or below the typical national range of $120 to $280 per visit. Hawaii at $24.78 is roughly 49 percent above national -- expect prices to follow. Alabama at $13.06 is 22 percent below -- prices will typically be lower too, though not proportionally, because overhead costs are less regionally variable than wages.

Step 3: Adjust for home size. The client price ranges in the table assume a standard 3-bedroom home. A studio or 1-bedroom typically runs $80 to $130. A 4-bedroom or larger home may run $200 to $350 or more in high-wage states. For a detailed breakdown by home size, see house cleaning cost by home size.

Step 4: Factor in frequency. Recurring bookings -- weekly or biweekly -- typically cost 10 to 25 percent less per visit than one-time cleans. If you plan to book regularly, ask providers to quote both a one-time rate and a recurring rate before you decide.

Step 5: Decide between an independent cleaner and an agency. Independent cleaners generally charge less per hour, but agencies carry their own insurance, bonding, and backup coverage. In high-wage states, the gap between independent and agency pricing tends to be larger in absolute dollar terms. For guidance on that decision, see how to choose a cleaning service.

What to Ask for When Getting Local Quotes

State wages set the context, but they do not replace local market research. Before booking a cleaning service, get written quotes from at least two providers and ask each one these four questions:

Is this quote hourly or flat-rate? Hourly quotes can fluctuate; flat-rate quotes are predictable. Neither is inherently better, but you need to know which model applies before comparing providers. Our guide on hourly vs flat-rate cleaning breaks down when each works in your favor.

If hourly, is the rate per cleaner or per team? A $40-per-hour rate for a two-person team for three hours is $240. The same rate per person is $480. The difference is not a trick -- it is an industry norm with no universal convention. Confirm before you book.

What does the scope include, and what costs extra? Standard visits typically cover kitchens, bathrooms, floors, and visible surfaces. Inside appliances, baseboards, interior windows, and laundry may be add-ons. Knowing the scope prevents billing surprises and lets you compare quotes that are actually equivalent.

What is the recurring rate vs. one-time rate? Most providers discount recurring bookings. If you are considering ongoing service, ask what weekly or biweekly service would cost before you commit to a one-time visit at the higher rate.

Wrapping Up

House cleaning prices follow labor costs, and labor costs follow state wage floors, regional competition for workers, and local cost of living. The BLS OES data for occupation 37-2012 puts hard numbers to that pattern: from $13.06 per hour in Alabama to $24.78 in Hawaii, the range across states is nearly $12 per hour -- a gap that shows up in every quote you receive.

Use the state table to calibrate your expectations before you start calling providers. Pair it with local quotes, confirm the scope in writing, and ask about recurring rates if you plan to book more than once. The national price ranges from Angi and HomeGuide give you a sanity check; your state's wage position in the BLS data tells you which end of that range to anchor on.

For a full breakdown of how home size and clean type layer on top of regional variation, see our national rates and pricing models guide.