Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Kingsport-Bristol, TN?

In the Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $26,890 a year ($12.93 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 4,170 of these jobs there. That is 41% below the $45,240 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $22,250 and $33,830; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Tennessee tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $23,754 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Kingsport-Bristol, TN at a glance

Median salary

$26,890$12.93 per hour · $2,241 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$22,250$10.70/hr
25th percentile$23,760$11.42/hr
75th percentile$28,450$13.68/hr
90th percentile$33,830$16.26/hr
Jobs in this metro4,170Location quotient 1.41 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here41% belowAll-jobs median $45,240
Against Tennessee2% belowStatewide median $27,470
Against the U.S.14% belowNational 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 Kingsport-Bristol, TN after taxes

$26,890
$15,000$55,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$26,890
Net 88%
Fed 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$23,754After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,979Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$914Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate11.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,079 / yr
Tennessee state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,057 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Kingsport-Bristol, TN, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What fast food or counter workers earned in the Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (TN)
10th percentile$10.70/hr$1,854$22,250$19,933
25th percentile$11.42/hr$1,980$23,760$21,176
MedianMedian$12.93/hr$2,241$26,890$23,754
75th percentile$13.68/hr$2,371$28,450$25,039
90th percentile$16.26/hr$2,819$33,830$29,362

Is $26,890 a good salary in Kingsport-Bristol, TN?

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$57,792Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)86.413.6% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household46.5%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 Kingsport-Bristol, TN: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metro area was $26,890 in May 2025, about $2,241 a month or $12.93 an hour. Statewide, the Tennessee median for this job is $27,470, so the metro pays 2% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA was $12.93 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.70 an hour and one in ten earned more than $16.26.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?

BLS estimated 4,170 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 34.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.41 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 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA run from $22,250 at the 10th percentile to $23,760 at the 25th, $28,450 at the 75th, and $33,830 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 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?

On a median gross salary of $26,890, an estimated $23,754 lands in net take-home pay per year ($914 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Tennessee in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,136 (an effective rate of 11.7%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?

On the median annual salary of $26,890, gross monthly income is $2,241. After federal, FICA, and Tennessee state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,979 per month (or $914 every two weeks).

Is $26,890 a good salary in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?

At $26,890, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 46.5% of the Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA median household income ($57,792). It is 41% below the $45,240 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 86.4, so prices here run 13.6% below the U.S. average.