Hire household staff directly in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills

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.

Los Altos and Los Altos Hills sit between Stanford, Sand Hill Road and the big Mountain View and Cupertino campuses, and their households tend to run on tight, two-career calendars. HomeHire lets families here hire nannies, housekeepers, house managers, private chefs, household PAs, drivers and estate managers directly. You describe the role in a confidential brief, review structured profiles, and decide whom to meet. The family is the employer throughout.

This guide is a local starting point. HomeHire's free period covers the whole United States, and the wider San Francisco Bay Area guide covers Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton and the rest of the Peninsula.

How Los Altos households differ

Los Altos (the city). Most homes are on quarter-acre lots in North and South Los Altos, around the Village downtown, the Country Club area and Loyola Corners. Many have been rebuilt or extended in the last decade, and a growing number have an accessory dwelling unit (ADU). That makes a live-in or "live-on-property" arrangement realistic in a way it isn't in much of the Bay Area. The typical need is a nanny or nanny–family assistant who covers Los Altos School District and Bullis Charter drop-offs, after-school activities and the long summer break.

Los Altos Hills (the town). Lots of an acre or more, hillside driveways, pools, vineyards and paddocks near the horse trails. Here families more often need a house manager or estate manager to coordinate landscaping, pool, security, AV and contractor work, plus a housekeeper who knows how to care for large, finish-heavy homes. Pinewood School, Foothill College and Hidden Villa are all in the town, so school and activity logistics often stay close to home.

Commutes. Most staff come in on I-280, Foothill Expressway or El Camino Real. Public transit into the Hills is limited, so say whether a car is required and whether one is provided for errands and school runs.

Roles Los Altos families hire most

Roles Los Altos families hire most
RoleWhat it often looks like locallyMore detail
Nanny / family assistantSchool runs, activities, summer camps, travel cover; often blended with light household tasksHire a nanny
HousekeeperWeekly or daily care of rebuilt homes with high-end finishes; laundry and closet careHire a housekeeper
House managerVendors, maintenance schedules, deliveries, renovation and ADU projectsHire a house manager
Estate managerHills properties with grounds, multiple staff or a second home in Tahoe, Carmel or HawaiiHire an estate manager
Household PACalendars, travel and personal admin for founders and executivesHire a private PA
Private chefWeeknight family meals, dietary plans, entertainingHire a private chef
DriverSchool and airport runs (SJC, SFO), event transportHire a chauffeur

Being a household employer in Los Altos: what to check

Hiring directly makes you the employer. HomeHire doesn't give legal or tax advice, so treat this as a list of things to check with official sources or an adviser:

  • Local minimum wage. The City of Los Altos has its own minimum wage ordinance, set above the state rate. The ordinance's definition of "employer" refers to employers subject to the city's business license requirements or with a business facility in the city, so ask the city whether it applies to your household. Los Altos Hills is a separate town, and Santa Clara County's minimum wage chart lists it at the state rate.
  • Overtime. California's Domestic Worker Bill of Rights extends overtime pay to certain personal attendants working in the home. Other household roles fall under the state's household-occupations wage order (Wage Order 15).
  • Paid sick leave. California's paid sick leave law covers employees who work at least 30 days for the same employer within a year, with narrow exceptions.
  • Payroll taxes and registration. See the EDD household employer pages and the IRS Household Employer's Tax Guide (Publication 926). Complete Form I-9 for every hire.
  • Insurance. Ask your homeowner's insurer about workers' compensation for household employees.

Many families use a household payroll provider. That's a separate service you choose.

How hiring works on HomeHire

  1. Write a confidential brief: role, hours, school calendar, ADU or live-out, car, start date.
  2. Review structured profiles. Candidates choose whether they can be found.
  3. Do your own hiring checks. Contact references and confirm identity and right to work yourself. Read safety & hiring tips.
  4. Request introductions and interview. Check references yourself and consider a paid trial day.
  5. Agree terms directly and put them in writing.

Briefing tips for Los Altos and the Hills

  • Say "Los Altos" or "Los Altos Hills" plus the nearest cross-street area, not your address.
  • List school names only if you're comfortable; "LASD elementary" is often enough.
  • If there's an ADU, say whether it's offered as housing and whether that's part of pay.
  • For Hills estates, separate house-management duties from hands-on housekeeping.
  • Mention travel: many families need summer or holiday cover in Tahoe or abroad.

Nearby guides

San Francisco Bay Area · Los Angeles · Orange County · San Diego · Seattle · How it works · Pricing · Candidates: find household work

Typical hourly pay in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 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 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA area
RoleTypical pay
NannyTypical: $21–$28/hr (about $44,000–$58,000 a year full-time)
HousekeeperTypical: $17–$28/hr (about $35,000–$58,000 a year full-time)
Private chefTypical: $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 managerTypical: $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

Can I hire a nanny or house manager in Los Altos without an agency?

Yes; on HomeHire you write a confidential brief, review structured profiles and request introductions yourself; you hire the person directly, and the family is the employer.

Does Los Altos have its own minimum wage for household staff?

Los Altos has a citywide minimum wage ordinance above the California rate; its definition of "employer" refers to employers subject to the city's business license requirements or with a business facility in the city, so check with the city whether it covers your household; Los Altos Hills follows the state rate, according to Santa Clara County's chart; the state minimum always applies.

Is live-in help realistic in Los Altos?

It can be, especially where a home has an ADU; say in your brief whether housing is offered and how it relates to pay, and check the wage rules that apply to live-in arrangements.

What does HomeHire cost Los Altos families?

Free for families until January 2027, and candidates never pay.

Does HomeHire employ or run payroll for the people I hire?

No; HomeHire does not employ household workers, run payroll or hold wages; many families use a separate household payroll provider.

Get started with HomeHire

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