Amherst Town-Northampton, MA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?

In the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $34,350 a year ($16.52 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,080 of these jobs there. That is 40% below the $57,030 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $31,200 and $38,350; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Massachusetts tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $28,383 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA at a glance

Median salary

$34,350$16.52 per hour · $2,863 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$31,200$15.00/hr
25th percentile$33,540$16.13/hr
75th percentile$35,920$17.27/hr
90th percentile$38,350$18.44/hr
Jobs in this metro2,080Location quotient 1.28 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here40% belowAll-jobs median $57,030
Against Massachusetts4% belowStatewide median $35,850
Against the U.S.10% aboveNational median $31,200

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Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Fast food or counter worker salary in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA after taxes

$34,350
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,350
Net 83%
Fed 6%
MA 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$28,383After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,365Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,092Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,942 / yr
Massachusetts state income tax$1,398 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,628 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (MA)
10th percentile$15.00/hr$2,600$31,200$26,009
25th percentile$16.13/hr$2,795$33,540$27,772
MedianMedian$16.52/hr$2,863$34,350$28,383
75th percentile$17.27/hr$2,993$35,920$29,566
90th percentile$18.44/hr$3,196$38,350$31,397

Is $34,350 a good salary in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for fast food or counter workers next to both.

Median household income$87,001Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)100.20.2% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household39.5%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Do fast food or counter workers pay tax on tips?

Yes, but less than before. This job is on the Treasury's list of tipped occupations, so from 2025 through 2028 up to $25,000 a year of reported tips comes off federal taxable income, shrinking above $150,000 of income ($300,000 joint). Social Security and Medicare are still owed on every tip, and most states still tax them. The BLS pay figures on this page already include tips as employers report them.

See what the tips deduction saves you →

Fast food or counter worker pay in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA metro area was $34,350 in May 2025, about $2,863 a month or $16.52 an hour. Statewide, the Massachusetts median for this job is $35,850, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA was $16.52 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $15.00 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.44.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?

BLS estimated 2,080 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 31.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.28 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for fast food or counter workers in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA run from $31,200 at the 10th percentile to $33,540 at the 25th, $35,920 at the 75th, and $38,350 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do fast food or counter workers take home after taxes in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?

On a median gross salary of $34,350, an estimated $28,383 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,092 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Massachusetts in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,967 (an effective rate of 17.4%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?

On the median annual salary of $34,350, gross monthly income is $2,863. After federal, FICA, and Massachusetts state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,365 per month (or $1,092 every two weeks).

Is $34,350 a good salary in Amherst Town-Northampton, MA?

At $34,350, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 39.5% of the Amherst Town-Northampton, MA median household income ($87,001). It is 40% below the $57,030 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.2, so prices here run 0.2% above the U.S. average.