Fast food or counter worker pay in Hickory-Lenoir, NC at a glance
Median salary
$27,580$13.26 per hour · $2,298 monthly · BLS May 2025Run the numbers on your own pay
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Fast food or counter worker salary in Hickory-Lenoir, NC after taxes
Fast food or counter workers pay range in Hickory-Lenoir, NC, hourly and yearly
BLS May 2025 estimates for the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.
| Percentile | Hourly | Monthly | Yearly | After tax a year (NC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $10.26/hr | $1,778 | $21,340 | $18,841 |
| 25th percentile | $11.10/hr | $1,924 | $23,090 | $20,212 |
| MedianMedian | $13.26/hr | $2,298 | $27,580 | $23,730 |
| 75th percentile | $16.00/hr | $2,773 | $33,280 | $28,101 |
| 90th percentile | $17.39/hr | $3,014 | $36,170 | $30,308 |
Is $27,580 a good salary in Hickory-Lenoir, NC?
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.
Fast food or counter workers pay in North Carolina and across the U.S.
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.
Fast food or counter worker pay in Hickory-Lenoir, NC: common questions
What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area was $27,580 in May 2025, about $2,298 a month or $13.26 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $28,570, so the metro pays 3% below the state.
What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC was $13.26 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.26 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.39.
How many fast food or counter workers work in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
BLS estimated 2,930 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 19.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.77 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.
What is the pay range for fast food or counter workers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC run from $21,340 at the 10th percentile to $23,090 at the 25th, $33,280 at the 75th, and $36,170 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
On a median gross salary of $27,580, an estimated $23,730 lands in net take-home pay per year ($913 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,850 (an effective rate of 14%).
How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
On the median annual salary of $27,580, gross monthly income is $2,298. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,978 per month (or $913 every two weeks).
Is $27,580 a good salary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
At $27,580, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 43.9% of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC median household income ($62,787). It is 39% below the $45,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 88.5, so prices here run 11.5% below the U.S. average.