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Elizabethtown, KY metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Elizabethtown, KY?

In the Elizabethtown, KY metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $23,600 a year ($11.35 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 490 of these jobs there. That is 50% below the $46,810 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $21,170 and $35,760; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Kentucky tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $20,336 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Elizabethtown, KY at a glance

Median salary

$23,600$11.35 per hour · $1,967 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$21,170$10.18/hr
25th percentile$22,700$10.91/hr
75th percentile$28,890$13.89/hr
90th percentile$35,760$17.19/hr
Jobs in this metro490Location quotient 1.65 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here50% belowAll-jobs median $46,810
Against Kentucky12% belowStatewide median $26,850
Against the U.S.33% belowNational median $35,320

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Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $24,000 a year leaves after tax in KentuckyFederal tax, FICA and Kentucky withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$11 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $24,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $24,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Kentucky publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Kentucky.

Food preparation worker salary in Elizabethtown, KY after taxes

$23,600
$15,000$50,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$23,600
Net 86%
Fed 3%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$20,336After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,695Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$782Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$750 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$708 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$1,805 / yr
Customize deductions in full Kentucky calculator

Food preparation workers pay range in Elizabethtown, KY, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Elizabethtown, KY metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (KY)
10th percentile$10.18/hr$1,764$21,170$18,482
25th percentile$10.91/hr$1,892$22,700$19,627
MedianMedian$11.35/hr$1,967$23,600$20,336
75th percentile$13.89/hr$2,408$28,890$24,500
90th percentile$17.19/hr$2,980$35,760$29,779

Is $23,600 a good salary in Elizabethtown, KY?

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$67,534Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)90.69.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household34.9%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 Kentucky metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Elizabethtown, KY. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Elizabethtown, KY: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Elizabethtown, KY?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Elizabethtown, KY metro area was $23,600 in May 2025, about $1,967 a month or $11.35 an hour. Statewide, the Kentucky median for this job is $26,850, so the metro pays 12% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Elizabethtown, KY?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Elizabethtown, KY was $11.35 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.18 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.19.

How many food preparation workers work in Elizabethtown, KY?

BLS estimated 490 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 9.5 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.65 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Elizabethtown, KY?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Elizabethtown, KY run from $21,170 at the 10th percentile to $22,700 at the 25th, $28,890 at the 75th, and $35,760 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Elizabethtown, KY?

On a median gross salary of $23,600, an estimated $20,336 lands in net take-home pay per year ($782 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Kentucky in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,264 (an effective rate of 13.8%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Elizabethtown, KY?

On the median annual salary of $23,600, gross monthly income is $1,967. After federal, FICA, and Kentucky state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,695 per month (or $782 every two weeks).

Is $23,600 a good salary in Elizabethtown, KY?

At $23,600, the median salary for food preparation workers is 34.9% of the Elizabethtown, KY median household income ($67,534). It is 50% below the $46,810 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 90.6, so prices here run 9.4% below the U.S. average.