As one of Sonoma County’s largest employers and a pillar of the local economy, the hospitality and tourism industry plays a central role in the region. However, the industry is predominantly low-wage, and most employers do not provide affordable health care benefits.
In 2025, the California Employment Development Department reported that entry-level county hotel housekeepers earned $18.32 an hour and $38,147 annually. However, M.I.T. economists calculate that in Sonoma County, two full-time working parents, with two children, need $36 per hour, or an annual family income of more than $151,000 before taxes, to cover essential expenses such as food, housing, health care, transportation, and childcare.
In 2025, United Ways of California reported that nearly one-third of households in Sonoma County are working poor, meaning at least one member earns income from work but still can’t cover basic expenses. Most hotel workers and their families fall into this category, struggling to make ends meet…