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

How much does a food preparation worker make in Athens-Clarke County, GA?

In the Athens-Clarke County, GA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $31,190 a year ($15.00 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 510 of these jobs there. That is 24% below the $41,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $22,460 and $36,940; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Georgia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $26,433 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Athens-Clarke County, GA at a glance

Median salary

$31,190$15.00 per hour · $2,599 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$22,460$10.80/hr
25th percentile$27,780$13.35/hr
75th percentile$35,550$17.09/hr
90th percentile$36,940$17.76/hr
Jobs in this metro510Location quotient 0.92 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here24% belowAll-jobs median $41,220
Against Georgia12% belowStatewide median $35,250
Against the U.S.12% belowNational median $35,320

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.

Take-home payWhat $31,000 a year leaves after tax in GeorgiaFederal tax, FICA and Georgia withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$15 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $31,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $31,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Georgia publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Georgia.

Food preparation worker salary in Athens-Clarke County, GA after taxes

$31,190
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$31,190
Net 85%
Fed 5%
GA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$26,433After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,203Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,017Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,563 / yr
Georgia state income tax$808 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,386 / yr
Customize deductions in full Georgia calculator

Food preparation 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 food preparation workers earned in the Athens-Clarke County, GA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (GA)
10th percentile$10.80/hr$1,872$22,460$19,734
25th percentile$13.35/hr$2,315$27,780$23,849
MedianMedian$15.00/hr$2,599$31,190$26,433
75th percentile$17.09/hr$2,963$35,550$29,719
90th percentile$17.76/hr$3,078$36,940$30,766

Is $31,190 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 food preparation 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 household47.5%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

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Food preparation workers pay in other Georgia metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Athens-Clarke County, GA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Athens-Clarke County, GA: common questions

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

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Athens-Clarke County, GA metro area was $31,190 in May 2025, about $2,599 a month or $15.00 an hour. Statewide, the Georgia median for this job is $35,250, so the metro pays 12% below the state.

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

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Athens-Clarke County, GA was $15.00 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.80 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.76.

How many food preparation workers work in Athens-Clarke County, GA?

BLS estimated 510 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.3 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.92 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Athens-Clarke County, GA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Athens-Clarke County, GA run from $22,460 at the 10th percentile to $27,780 at the 25th, $35,550 at the 75th, and $36,940 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Athens-Clarke County, GA?

On a median gross salary of $31,190, an estimated $26,433 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,017 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Georgia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,757 (an effective rate of 15.3%).

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

On the median annual salary of $31,190, gross monthly income is $2,599. After federal, FICA, and Georgia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,203 per month (or $1,017 every two weeks).

Is $31,190 a good salary in Athens-Clarke County, GA?

At $31,190, the median salary for food preparation workers is 47.5% of the Athens-Clarke County, GA median household income ($65,608). It is 24% 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.