Bellingham, WA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Bellingham, WA?

In the Bellingham, WA metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $37,030 a year ($17.81 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,830 of these jobs there. That is 36% below the $57,820 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,230 and $45,490; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Washington tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,934 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Bellingham, WA at a glance

Median salary

$37,030$17.81 per hour · $3,086 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,230$16.94/hr
25th percentile$35,830$17.22/hr
75th percentile$42,670$20.51/hr
90th percentile$45,490$21.87/hr
Jobs in this metro2,830Location quotient 1.25 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here36% belowAll-jobs median $57,820
Against Washington2% belowStatewide median $37,710
Against the U.S.19% 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 Bellingham, WA after taxes

$37,030
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$37,030
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,934After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,661Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,228Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,264 / yr
Washington state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,833 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Bellingham, WA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Bellingham, WA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Bellingham, WA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WA)
10th percentile$16.94/hr$2,936$35,230$30,487
25th percentile$17.22/hr$2,986$35,830$30,969
MedianMedian$17.81/hr$3,086$37,030$31,934
75th percentile$20.51/hr$3,556$42,670$36,465
90th percentile$21.87/hr$3,791$45,490$38,731

Is $37,030 a good salary in Bellingham, WA?

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$81,784Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)103.33.3% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household45.3%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 Bellingham, WA: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Bellingham, WA?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Bellingham, WA metro area was $37,030 in May 2025, about $3,086 a month or $17.81 an hour. Statewide, the Washington median for this job is $37,710, so the metro pays 2% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Bellingham, WA?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Bellingham, WA was $17.81 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.94 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.87.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Bellingham, WA?

BLS estimated 2,830 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 31.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.25 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 Bellingham, WA?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Bellingham, WA run from $35,230 at the 10th percentile to $35,830 at the 25th, $42,670 at the 75th, and $45,490 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 Bellingham, WA?

On a median gross salary of $37,030, an estimated $31,934 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,228 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Washington in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,096 (an effective rate of 13.8%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Bellingham, WA?

On the median annual salary of $37,030, gross monthly income is $3,086. After federal, FICA, and Washington state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,661 per month (or $1,228 every two weeks).

Is $37,030 a good salary in Bellingham, WA?

At $37,030, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 45.3% of the Bellingham, WA median household income ($81,784). It is 36% below the $57,820 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 103.3, so prices here run 3.3% above the U.S. average.