Longview-Kelso, WA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a fast food or counter worker make in Longview-Kelso, WA?

In the Longview-Kelso, WA metropolitan area, fast food or counter workers earned a median of $36,020 a year ($17.32 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,440 of these jobs there. That is 37% below the $57,420 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $34,990 and $46,600; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Washington tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,122 in take-home pay.

Fast food or counter worker pay in Longview-Kelso, WA at a glance

Median salary

$36,020$17.32 per hour · $3,002 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$34,990$16.82/hr
25th percentile$35,340$16.99/hr
75th percentile$37,730$18.14/hr
90th percentile$46,600$22.40/hr
Jobs in this metro1,440Location quotient 1.41 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here37% belowAll-jobs median $57,420
Against Washington4% belowStatewide median $37,710
Against the U.S.15% 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 Longview-Kelso, WA after taxes

$36,020
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,020
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,122After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,594Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,197Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,142 / yr
Washington state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,756 / yr

Fast food or counter workers pay range in Longview-Kelso, WA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Longview-Kelso, 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 Longview-Kelso, WA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WA)
10th percentile$16.82/hr$2,916$34,990$30,294
25th percentile$16.99/hr$2,945$35,340$30,576
MedianMedian$17.32/hr$3,002$36,020$31,122
75th percentile$18.14/hr$3,144$37,730$32,496
90th percentile$22.40/hr$3,883$46,600$39,623

Is $36,020 a good salary in Longview-Kelso, 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$76,531Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)97.52.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household47.1%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 Longview-Kelso, WA: common questions

What is the median salary for fast food or counter workers in Longview-Kelso, WA?

The BLS median annual wage for fast food or counter workers in the Longview-Kelso, WA metro area was $36,020 in May 2025, about $3,002 a month or $17.32 an hour. Statewide, the Washington median for this job is $37,710, so the metro pays 4% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for fast food or counter workers in Longview-Kelso, WA?

The median hourly wage for fast food or counter workers in Longview-Kelso, WA was $17.32 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $16.82 an hour and one in ten earned more than $22.40.

How many fast food or counter workers work in Longview-Kelso, WA?

BLS estimated 1,440 jobs for fast food or counter workers in the metro in May 2025, or 35.0 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 Longview-Kelso, WA?

BLS wage estimates for fast food or counter workers in Longview-Kelso, WA run from $34,990 at the 10th percentile to $35,340 at the 25th, $37,730 at the 75th, and $46,600 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 Longview-Kelso, WA?

On a median gross salary of $36,020, an estimated $31,122 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,197 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Washington in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,898 (an effective rate of 13.6%).

How much do fast food or counter workers make per month in Longview-Kelso, WA?

On the median annual salary of $36,020, gross monthly income is $3,002. After federal, FICA, and Washington state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,594 per month (or $1,197 every two weeks).

Is $36,020 a good salary in Longview-Kelso, WA?

At $36,020, the median salary for fast food or counter workers is 47.1% of the Longview-Kelso, WA median household income ($76,531). It is 37% below the $57,420 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 97.5, so prices here run 2.5% below the U.S. average.