Dalton, GA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Dalton, GA?

In the Dalton, GA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $30,100 a year ($14.47 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 200 of these jobs there. That is 29% below the $42,210 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $22,430 and $37,310; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Georgia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $25,612 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Dalton, GA at a glance

Median salary

$30,100$14.47 per hour · $2,508 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$22,430$10.78/hr
25th percentile$24,820$11.93/hr
75th percentile$33,170$15.95/hr
90th percentile$37,310$17.94/hr
Jobs in this metro200Location quotient 0.53 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here29% belowAll-jobs median $42,210
Against Georgia15% belowStatewide median $35,250
Against the U.S.15% 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.

Food preparation worker salary in Dalton, GA after taxes

$30,100
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$30,100
Net 85%
Fed 5%
GA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$25,612After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,134Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$985Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,432 / yr
Georgia state income tax$753 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,303 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Dalton, GA, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Dalton, GA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (GA)
10th percentile$10.78/hr$1,869$22,430$19,710
25th percentile$11.93/hr$2,068$24,820$21,559
MedianMedian$14.47/hr$2,508$30,100$25,612
75th percentile$15.95/hr$2,764$33,170$27,925
90th percentile$17.94/hr$3,109$37,310$31,045

Is $30,100 a good salary in Dalton, 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$67,846Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)89.810.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household44.4%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Dalton, GA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Dalton, GA?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Dalton, GA metro area was $30,100 in May 2025, about $2,508 a month or $14.47 an hour. Statewide, the Georgia median for this job is $35,250, so the metro pays 15% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Dalton, GA?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Dalton, GA was $14.47 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.78 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.94.

How many food preparation workers work in Dalton, GA?

BLS estimated 200 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 3.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.53 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Dalton, GA?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Dalton, GA run from $22,430 at the 10th percentile to $24,820 at the 25th, $33,170 at the 75th, and $37,310 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Dalton, GA?

On a median gross salary of $30,100, an estimated $25,612 lands in net take-home pay per year ($985 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Georgia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,488 (an effective rate of 14.9%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Dalton, GA?

On the median annual salary of $30,100, gross monthly income is $2,508. After federal, FICA, and Georgia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,134 per month (or $985 every two weeks).

Is $30,100 a good salary in Dalton, GA?

At $30,100, the median salary for food preparation workers is 44.4% of the Dalton, GA median household income ($67,846). It is 29% below the $42,210 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 89.8, so prices here run 10.2% below the U.S. average.