Caretaker Jobs

Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado post the most caretaker positions. Couples are often preferred so that one person is never alone in a remote place for six months.

Pay ranges from housing-only arrangements at small properties to $2,000 to $4,000 per month plus housing, utilities and a grocery flight or fuel allowance at lodges and larger ranches. Winter caretaker positions are quiet; employers want people who are handy with small engines and plumbing, comfortable with isolation and short daylight, and able to make decisions alone.

Winter caretaker positions are posted from July through September and fill quickly, because the number of people willing to spend six months at the end of a road or on an island is small. Employers verify references carefully and often ask for a trial visit in the fall. In return, a good caretaker position pays a steady wage with almost no living expenses and leaves the summer free for guiding or fishing work.