Hire household staff directly in Chicago

Short answer: Nanny: Typical: $21–$28/hr (about $44,000–$58,000 a year full-time); Housekeeper: Typical: $17–$28/hr (about $35,000–$58,000 a year full-time); Private chef: Typical: $40–$60/hr (about $83,000–$125,000 a year full-time); House manager: Typical: $35–$55/hr (about $73,000–$114,000 a year full-time) (salary guide). Free for families until January 2027, and candidates never pay. Agencies charge fees that vary by agency and role; HomeHire is a direct-hiring marketplace with no agency fees.

Find nannies, housekeepers, house managers, private chefs, private PAs, chauffeurs/drivers, and estate managers around Chicago through confidential family briefs and direct introductions. Public listings require family consent. Consider Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, Evanston, Oak Park, the North Shore, and Chicagoland when describing the work area. HomeHire's free period is nationwide; this guide is a local starting point, not a service boundary.

Why Chicago households use a discreet model

Local starting points include Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, Evanston, Oak Park, the North Shore, and Chicagoland. A household may need to coordinate school runs, apartment or building access, and a commute between the city and suburbs. Explain which location and days actually apply. A private brief helps you explain practical requirements without publishing household identifiers.

Share a confidential household brief rather than a public household job ad.
Review structured candidate profiles; candidates control their discoverability.
Families hire directly and do their own checks, including references, identity, right to work and relevant qualifications.
Use messaging and direct introductions to decide whom to interview; the family and worker agree the engagement directly.
Describe permanent, part-time, temporary, or one-off work in the confidential brief; the same direct model applies.

Household roles in Chicago

Use the national role guides for more specific briefing advice. Chauffeur/driver and estate manager responsibilities can also be described in a confidential brief.

Household roles in Chicago
Role	Local briefing considerations	National guide
Nanny	Clarify school pickups in Lincoln Park versus Evanston and whether driving is part of the care schedule.	Nanny guide
Housekeeper	Describe Gold Coast apartment access, laundry duties, and whether work also spans a North Shore home.	Housekeeper guide
House manager	Explain vendor coordination and staff schedules if the household splits time between Chicago and the North Shore.	House manager guide
Private chef	Separate regular meals in the city from entertaining or seasonal cooking at another Chicagoland property.	Private chef guide
Private PA	State whether appointments and errands are concentrated downtown or extend to Oak Park or Evanston.	Private PA guide
Chauffeur/driver	Describe city-to-suburb routes, driving hours, and vehicle expectations without publishing pickup addresses.	Chauffeur/driver guide
Estate manager	Clarify which Chicagoland properties, vendors, and handovers are in scope.	Estate manager guide

How to hire locally

Give candidates enough information to judge a fit while keeping private household information out of public-facing text.

Start with a city, neighborhood, or ZIP code around Chicago, not just “Global”; do not publish the exact address.
Specify the role, start date, hours, and whether the work is ongoing, part-time, temporary, seasonal, or one-off.
Describe actual duties, experience, pay expectations, and logistics. Clarify whether the role spans Chicago and the North Shore, and whether travel between properties is part of the schedule.
Families hire directly and do their own checks, including references, identity, right to work and relevant qualifications.
Use messaging to request a direct introduction, interview the person, check references, and make your own hiring decision.
Protect children's identities, home addresses, access instructions, and other sensitive details until appropriate after mutual interest.

Temporary and seasonal cover

School breaks, summer travel, and periods of entertaining can require a different schedule from a regular week. Explain the dates, hours, duties, location, and handover in your brief. Long-term, part-time, temporary, seasonal, and one-off direct engagements are in scope, but HomeHire does not promise an agency roster or available cover.

The family and worker agree work and pay directly; HomeHire is not the employer or payroll provider.

For candidates in Chicago

Household professionals in Chicago can create a structured profile, set their preferred location and availability, and control discoverability. Candidates never pay HomeHire to find work. Explore other metro guides or learn how nationwide introductions and pricing work.

Practical Chicago briefing tips

Describe transit or driving expectations and building entry procedures in general terms; share specific access instructions only after mutual interest. Distinguish baseline duties from event-day or extra-property responsibilities and state the commute expectations. Share building entry arrangements only after mutual interest; never publish addresses, gate codes, keys, or children's identifying details.

Interview and check references yourself. Families hire directly and do their own checks, including references, identity, right to work and relevant qualifications. it cannot establish suitability or safety.

Typical hourly pay in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area

Full-time annual equivalents use hourly pay × 2,080, rounded to the nearest $1,000; gross pay before tax. Private chef estimates cover full-time work for one family. Local salary guide.

US typical range; local pay varies with local wages and minimum-wage rules.

Based on Care.com and US Bureau of Labor Statistics pay data and published household-staff salary surveys, Oct 2026. Actual pay depends on duties, hours and experience.

Typical hourly pay in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area
Role	Typical pay
Nanny	Typical: $21–$28/hr (about $44,000–$58,000 a year full-time)
Housekeeper	Typical: $17–$28/hr (about $35,000–$58,000 a year full-time)
Private chef	Typical: $40–$60/hr (about $83,000–$125,000 a year full-time); Estate or high-net-worth roles: $130,000–$250,000 a year
House manager	Typical: $35–$55/hr (about $73,000–$114,000 a year full-time); Estate or high-net-worth roles: $110,000–$180,000 a year

Next steps for families

HomeHire is a self-service marketplace, not an agency: families review profiles, contact candidates and hire directly, and the family is the employer. Free for families until January 2027, and candidates never pay.

Explore more hiring guides

Explore the US Salary Guide for national, state, and metro pay context.

Frequently asked questions

Does HomeHire employ household staff or manage payroll in Chicago?

No; the hiring family is the employer, agrees duties and pay with the worker directly, and handles wages and applicable employment, tax, insurance, and screening obligations; HomeHire facilitates introductions, not employment or payroll.

Is HomeHire limited to Chicago?

No; chicago is a local briefing guide; HomeHire's free period and direct introductions are nationwide, not limited to any listed neighborhood or metro.

Can I seek temporary or one-off household help in Chicago?

Yes; long-term, part-time, temporary, seasonal, and one-off direct engagements are in scope; describe the dates and duties in a confidential brief; HomeHire does not guarantee that a worker will be available.

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