If the number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers on Maui is any indication, the Hawaiian island is airing a lot of dirty laundry.
A Press Cleaners review of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI, is the top metro area in the U.S. for the number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers. According to the bureau, 380 people were employed in May 2016 as laundry and dry-cleaning workers in Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, working out to 5.18 per 1,000 jobs. That is the highest employment rate among all metro areas in the U.S.
Only a little over 150,000 people live on Maui, so that means most of those laundry and dry-cleaning workers are employed by the island’s many hotels or by businesses that serve those hotels.
Think of all the dirty towels and bedsheets that need to be washed, thanks to the thousands of tourists who visit the island each month. Maui attracted more than 2.6 million tourists in 2016. Of course, many of those tourists also need to have clothes washed or dry-cleaned while they’re away from home.
Here is our list of the 10 Metro Areas With the Most Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers.
1. Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers: 380
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers per 1,000 jobs: 5.18
Average hourly pay: $15.72
Average annual pay: $32,700
2. Rapid City, SD
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers: 300
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers per 1,000 jobs: 4.52
Average hourly pay: $10.34
Average annual pay: $21,510
3. Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers: 630
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers per 1,000 jobs: 4.14
Average hourly pay: $9.35
Average annual pay: $19,450
4. Dothan, AL
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers: 220
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers per 1,000 jobs: 3.95
Average hourly pay: $9.15
Average annual pay: $19,040
5. Hot Springs, AR
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers: 140
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers per 1,000 jobs: 3.94
Average hourly pay: $9.34
Average annual pay: $19,430
6. Ocean City, NJ
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers: 140
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers per 1,000 jobs: 3.75
Average hourly pay: $12.04
Average annual pay: $25,030
7. Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers: 250
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers per 1,000 jobs: 3.57
Average hourly pay: $10.10
Average hourly pay: $21,000
8. Pittsfield, MA
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers: 140
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers per 1,000 jobs: 3.53
Average hourly pay: $11.62
Average hourly pay: $24,180
9. Abilene, TX
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers: 230
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers per 1,000 jobs: 3.53
Average hourly pay: $10.78
Average hourly pay: $22,430
10. Dover-Durham, NH
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers: 180
Number of laundry and dry-cleaning workers per 1,000 jobs: 3.43
Average hourly pay: $10.96
Average hourly pay: $22,800
