Gadsden, AL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Gadsden, AL?

In the Gadsden, AL metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $26,050 a year ($12.52 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 310 of these jobs there. That is 29% below the $36,660 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $18,800 and $37,470; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Alabama tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $22,073 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Gadsden, AL at a glance

Median salary

$26,050$12.52 per hour · $2,171 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$18,800$9.04/hr
25th percentile$20,280$9.75/hr
75th percentile$30,550$14.69/hr
90th percentile$37,470$18.01/hr
Jobs in this metro310Location quotient 1.64 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here29% belowAll-jobs median $36,660
Against Alabama7% belowStatewide median $27,930
Against the U.S.26% 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 Gadsden, AL after taxes

$26,050
$15,000$55,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$26,050
Net 85%
Fed 4%
AL 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$22,073After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,839Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$849Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$995 / yr
Alabama state income tax$989 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$1,993 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Gadsden, AL, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Gadsden, AL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (AL)
10th percentile$9.04/hr$1,567$18,800$16,430
25th percentile$9.75/hr$1,690$20,280$17,582
MedianMedian$12.52/hr$2,171$26,050$22,073
75th percentile$14.69/hr$2,546$30,550$25,526
90th percentile$18.01/hr$3,123$37,470$30,769

Is $26,050 a good salary in Gadsden, AL?

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$54,563Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)85.714.3% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household47.7%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Gadsden, AL: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Gadsden, AL?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Gadsden, AL metro area was $26,050 in May 2025, about $2,171 a month or $12.52 an hour. Statewide, the Alabama median for this job is $27,930, so the metro pays 7% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Gadsden, AL?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Gadsden, AL was $12.52 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $9.04 an hour and one in ten earned more than $18.01.

How many food preparation workers work in Gadsden, AL?

BLS estimated 310 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 9.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.64 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Gadsden, AL?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Gadsden, AL run from $18,800 at the 10th percentile to $20,280 at the 25th, $30,550 at the 75th, and $37,470 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Gadsden, AL?

On a median gross salary of $26,050, an estimated $22,073 lands in net take-home pay per year ($849 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Alabama in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $3,977 (an effective rate of 15.3%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Gadsden, AL?

On the median annual salary of $26,050, gross monthly income is $2,171. After federal, FICA, and Alabama state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,839 per month (or $849 every two weeks).

Is $26,050 a good salary in Gadsden, AL?

At $26,050, the median salary for food preparation workers is 47.7% of the Gadsden, AL median household income ($54,563). It is 29% below the $36,660 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 85.7, so prices here run 14.3% below the U.S. average.