Fast Food and Counter Workers in Kentucky
The median fast food and counter worker in Kentucky earns $27,130 a year and keeps $23,120 of it — $1,927 a month.
Take-home pay, Kentucky
$23,120
from $27,130 gross · $889 every two weeks · 14.8% effective tax rate
Gross median from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 state estimates, May 2025 estimates (source file). Tax computed here from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 and Kentucky revenue department tables. Single filer, 2026 tax year, annual liability rather than paycheck withholding.
By filing status
Filing status changes the standard deduction and the bracket widths, so the same salary yields a different answer.
| Filing status | Federal tax | State tax | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $1,103 | $832 | $23,120 |
| Married filing jointly | $0 | $832 | $24,223 |
| Head of household | $298 | $832 | $23,925 |
Every state, ranked by what you keep
Gross pay and take-home pay do not rank the same way. A state can pay less and still leave you with more.
| # | State | Median salary | Take-home | Tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $42,280 | $35,478 | 16% |
| 2 | Washington | $37,710 | $32,480 | 14% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $37,430 | $31,175 | 17% |
| 4 | Colorado | $36,270 | $30,435 | 16% |
| 5 | Vermont | $36,030 | $30,360 | 16% |
| 6 | Connecticut | $35,380 | $29,941 | 15% |
| 7 | Hawaii | $35,250 | $29,501 | 16% |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $35,850 | $29,413 | 18% |
| 9 | Arizona | $34,230 | $29,231 | 15% |
| 10 | New York | $35,250 | $29,197 | 17% |
| 11 | New Jersey | $34,150 | $29,109 | 15% |
| 12 | Alaska | $33,280 | $28,920 | 13% |
| 13 | Maine | $34,710 | $28,848 | 17% |
| 14 | Oregon | $35,050 | $28,112 | 20% |
| 15 | Maryland | $33,660 | $27,991 | 17% |
| 16 | Illinois | $33,910 | $27,893 | 18% |
| 17 | Nevada | $31,950 | $27,852 | 13% |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $31,590 | $27,563 | 13% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $31,490 | $26,918 | 15% |
| 20 | Minnesota | $31,370 | $26,526 | 15% |
| 21 | North Dakota | $30,080 | $26,349 | 12% |
| 22 | Delaware | $31,300 | $26,269 | 16% |
| 23 | Missouri | $30,390 | $26,107 | 14% |
| 24 | South Dakota | $29,490 | $25,875 | 12% |
| 25 | Florida | $29,080 | $25,546 | 12% |
| 26 | Virginia | $30,110 | $25,456 | 15% |
| 27 | Ohio | $28,430 | $25,022 | 12% |
| 28 | Nebraska | $29,000 | $24,994 | 14% |
| 29 | Montana | $29,090 | $24,943 | 14% |
| 30 | New Mexico | $28,700 | $24,931 | 13% |
| 31 | Utah | $28,670 | $24,892 | 13% |
| 32 | Idaho | $28,940 | $24,753 | 14% |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $28,600 | $24,672 | 14% |
| 34 | Iowa | $28,390 | $24,562 | 13% |
| 35 | Wyoming | $27,860 | $24,553 | 12% |
| 36 | North Carolina | $28,570 | $24,505 | 14% |
| 37 | Indiana | $28,790 | $24,493 | 15% |
| 38 | Texas | $27,740 | $24,454 | 12% |
| 39 | Michigan | $28,930 | $24,446 | 15% |
| 40 | Pennsylvania | $28,570 | $24,259 | 15% |
| 41 | Tennessee | $27,470 | $24,232 | 12% |
| 42 | South Carolina | $27,520 | $24,024 | 13% |
| 43 | Kansas | $27,580 | $23,552 | 15% |
| 44 | Georgia | $26,920 | $23,184 | 14% |
| 45 | Kentucky | $27,130 | $23,120 | 15% |
| 46 | Arkansas | $26,250 | $22,735 | 13% |
| 47 | West Virginia | $26,070 | $22,472 | 14% |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $23,430 | $20,332 | 13% |
| 49 | Alabama | $23,700 | $20,207 | 15% |
| 50 | Louisiana | $22,800 | $20,088 | 12% |
| 51 | Mississippi | $22,610 | $20,057 | 11% |
Fast Food and Counter Workers in Kentucky: questions
What is the average fast food and counter workers salary in Kentucky?›
The median is $27,130 a year, about $13.04 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 estimates. Median means half of fast food and counter workers in Kentucky earn more and half earn less.
What is the take-home pay on $27,130 in Kentucky?›
About $23,120 a year — $1,927 a month, or $889 every two weeks — for a single filer in the 2026 tax year, after $1,103 federal income tax, $2,075 in Social Security and Medicare, and $832 Kentucky income tax.
Do fast food and counter workers earn more in Kentucky than elsewhere?›
No. At $27,130, Kentucky pays $1,960 below the $29,090 median across all states, ranking 44 of 51 on gross pay. On take-home pay after tax it ranks 45.
Where do fast food and counter workers keep the most money?›
Ranked by take-home rather than gross, the best-paying states for this occupation are California ($35,478), Washington ($32,480), District of Columbia ($31,175). Gross pay and take-home pay do not rank the same way, because state income tax varies from nothing to over 10%.
What is the effective tax rate on $27,130 in Kentucky?›
14.8% of gross pay, combining federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state income tax. The marginal rate — what you would pay on the next dollar earned — is 21.2%.