Cooks, Fast Food pay range in Lexington
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $21,920 a year or less, while the top 10% make $30,510 or more. The middle half of cooks, fast food in Lexington earn between $22,650 and $27,890.
- $22K10th
- $23K25th
- $27KMedian
- $28K75th
- $31K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $26,180 | $2,182 | $12.59 |
| Median | $26,840 | $2,237 | $12.90 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $22,650 | $1,888 | $10.89 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $27,890 | $2,324 | $13.41 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Cooks, Fast Food pay in Lexington vs. Kentucky and the U.S.
Cooks, fast food in Lexington earn 3% more than the Kentucky average ($25,300) and 19% less than the U.S. average ($32,390). At the median the gap is -13% against the U.S. median of $30,890.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington | $26,180 | $26,840 | $21,920 | $30,510 | 3,040 |
| Kentucky | $25,300 | $23,500 | $21,220 | $30,000 | 21,750 |
| United States | $32,390 | $30,890 | $22,580 | $42,910 | 641,070 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Cooks, Fast Food salary after taxes in Lexington
On the average salary of $26,180, a single filer in Lexington takes home about $21,651 a year, or $1,804 a month and $833 every two weeks. Taxes take 17% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Lexington's local income tax (2.75%).
Is Lexington a good place for cooks, fast food? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Lexington area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.9), so the average $26,180 buys what about $28,184 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Lexington ($48,620). A typical home costs $327,671, or 12.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Cooks, Fast Food salary in other Kentucky cities
Lexington ranks 2nd of 5 Kentucky metro areas for this job; Louisville pays the most ($26,590).
- Louisville$26,590
- Lexington$26,180
- Bowling Green$25,170
- Elizabethtown$25,020
- Owensboro$24,560
Highest-paying cities for cooks, fast food
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($46,590).
- San Francisco, CA$46,590
- San Jose, CA$46,530
- Vallejo, CA$44,360
- Napa, CA$43,910
- Seattle, WA$43,770
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Cooks, Fast Food salary in Lexington: questions
How much do cooks, fast food make an hour in Lexington?
$12.59 an hour on average, and $12.91 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level cooks, fast food salary in Lexington?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $21,920 a year and the 25th percentile is $22,650, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the cooks, fast food take-home pay in Lexington?
About $21,651 a year ($1,804 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $26,180. Includes Lexington's local income tax (2.75%).
Do cooks, fast food earn more in Lexington than elsewhere?
The average here is 19% less than the U.S. average for this job ($32,390).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-2011; area Lexington-Fayette, KY (30460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.7%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes Lexington's local income tax (2.75%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.57, this job is 2.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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