Food Preparation Workers pay range in Gadsden
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $18,800 a year or less, while the top 10% make $37,470 or more. The middle half of food preparation workers in Gadsden earn between $20,280 and $30,550.
- $19K10th
- $20K25th
- $26KMedian
- $31K75th
- $37K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $26,520 | $2,210 | $12.75 |
| Median | $26,050 | $2,171 | $12.52 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $20,280 | $1,690 | $9.75 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $30,550 | $2,546 | $14.69 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Food Preparation Workers salary after taxes in Gadsden
On the average salary of $26,520, a single filer in Gadsden takes home about $22,438 a year, or $1,870 a month and $863 every two weeks. Taxes take 15% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Is Gadsden a good place for food preparation workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Gadsden area are 14% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 85.7), so the average $26,520 buys what about $30,962 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Gadsden ($36,660). A typical home costs $184,689, or 7.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Preparation Workers salary in other Alabama cities
Gadsden ranks 11th of 12 Alabama metro areas for this job; Huntsville pays the most ($30,590).
- Huntsville$30,590
- Birmingham$30,230
- Daphne$28,970
- Decatur$28,690
- Tuscaloosa$28,600
- Auburn$28,560
- Mobile$28,400
- Florence$27,410
- Montgomery$27,200
- Gadsden$26,520
Highest-paying cities for food preparation workers
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($48,150).
- Kahului, HI$48,150
- San Jose, CA$45,660
- Seattle, WA$44,390
- Napa, CA$44,240
- Santa Rosa, CA$43,450
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Food Preparation Workers salary in Gadsden: questions
How much do food preparation workers make an hour in Gadsden?
$12.75 an hour on average, and $12.52 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food preparation workers salary in Gadsden?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $18,800 a year and the 25th percentile is $20,280, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food preparation workers take-home pay in Gadsden?
About $22,438 a year ($1,870 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $26,520. City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Do food preparation workers earn more in Gadsden than elsewhere?
The average here is 26% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($35,748).
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 35-2021; area Gadsden, AL (23460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.9%.
- 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). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.64, this job is 1.6 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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