Athens-Clarke County, GA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Athens-Clarke County, GA?

In the Athens-Clarke County, GA metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $24,220 a year ($11.64 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,490 of these jobs there. That is 41% below the $41,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $20,400 and $32,070; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Georgia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $21,095 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Athens-Clarke County, GA at a glance

Median salary

$24,220$11.64 per hour · $2,018 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$20,400$9.81/hr
25th percentile$22,210$10.68/hr
75th percentile$27,870$13.40/hr
90th percentile$32,070$15.42/hr
Jobs in this metro3,490Location quotient 1.47 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here41% belowAll-jobs median $41,220
Against Georgia10% belowStatewide median $26,920
Against the U.S.22% belowNational median $31,200

Run the numbers on your own pay

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 Athens-Clarke County, GA after taxes

$24,220
$15,000$50,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$24,220
Net 87%
Fed 3%
GA 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$21,095After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,758Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$811Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate12.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$812 / yr
Georgia state income tax$460 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$1,853 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Athens-Clarke County, GA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Athens-Clarke County, GA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Athens-Clarke County, GA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (GA)
10th percentile$9.81/hr$1,700$20,400$18,140
25th percentile$10.68/hr$1,851$22,210$19,540
MedianMedian$11.64/hr$2,018$24,220$21,095
75th percentile$13.40/hr$2,323$27,870$23,919
90th percentile$15.42/hr$2,673$32,070$27,096

Is $24,220 a good salary in Athens-Clarke County, GA?

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$65,608Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)93.36.7% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household36.9%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 Athens-Clarke County, GA: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Athens-Clarke County, GA?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Athens-Clarke County, GA metro area was $24,220 in May 2025, about $2,018 a month or $11.64 an hour. Statewide, the Georgia median for this job is $26,920, so the metro pays 10% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Athens-Clarke County, GA?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Athens-Clarke County, GA was $11.64 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $9.81 an hour and one in ten earned more than $15.42.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Athens-Clarke County, GA?

BLS estimated 3,490 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 36.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.47 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 Athens-Clarke County, GA?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Athens-Clarke County, GA run from $20,400 at the 10th percentile to $22,210 at the 25th, $27,870 at the 75th, and $32,070 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 Athens-Clarke County, GA?

On a median gross salary of $24,220, an estimated $21,095 lands in net take-home pay per year ($811 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Georgia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,125 (an effective rate of 12.9%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Athens-Clarke County, GA?

On the median annual salary of $24,220, gross monthly income is $2,018. After federal, FICA, and Georgia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,758 per month (or $811 every two weeks).

Is $24,220 a good salary in Athens-Clarke County, GA?

At $24,220, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 36.9% of the Athens-Clarke County, GA median household income ($65,608). It is 41% below the $41,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 93.3, so prices here run 6.7% below the U.S. average.