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Gainesville, GA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

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

In the Gainesville, GA metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $34,950 a year ($16.81 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 520 of these jobs there. That is 24% below the $45,900 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $24,230 and $40,780; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Georgia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $29,267 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Gainesville, GA at a glance

Median salary

$34,950$16.81 per hour · $2,913 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$24,230$11.65/hr
25th percentile$30,270$14.55/hr
75th percentile$37,170$17.87/hr
90th percentile$40,780$19.61/hr
Jobs in this metro520Location quotient 0.86 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here24% belowAll-jobs median $45,900
Against Georgia1% belowStatewide median $35,250
Against the U.S.1% 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 $35,000 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$17 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $35,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $35,000 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 Gainesville, GA after taxes

$34,950
$15,000$70,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$34,950
Net 84%
Fed 6%
GA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$29,267After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,439Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,126Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,014 / yr
Georgia state income tax$996 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,674 / yr
Customize deductions in full Georgia calculator

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

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Gainesville, GA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (GA)
10th percentile$11.65/hr$2,019$24,230$21,103
25th percentile$14.55/hr$2,523$30,270$25,740
MedianMedian$16.81/hr$2,913$34,950$29,267
75th percentile$17.87/hr$3,098$37,170$30,940
90th percentile$19.61/hr$3,398$40,780$33,660

Is $34,950 a good salary in Gainesville, 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$80,901Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.83.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household43.2%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 Gainesville, GA. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Food preparation worker pay in Gainesville, GA: common questions

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

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Gainesville, GA metro area was $34,950 in May 2025, about $2,913 a month or $16.81 an hour. Statewide, the Georgia median for this job is $35,250, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

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

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Gainesville, GA was $16.81 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $11.65 an hour and one in ten earned more than $19.61.

How many food preparation workers work in Gainesville, GA?

BLS estimated 520 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 5.0 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.86 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

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

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Gainesville, GA run from $24,230 at the 10th percentile to $30,270 at the 25th, $37,170 at the 75th, and $40,780 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

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

On a median gross salary of $34,950, an estimated $29,267 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,126 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Georgia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,683 (an effective rate of 16.3%).

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

On the median annual salary of $34,950, gross monthly income is $2,913. After federal, FICA, and Georgia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,439 per month (or $1,126 every two weeks).

Is $34,950 a good salary in Gainesville, GA?

At $34,950, the median salary for food preparation workers is 43.2% of the Gainesville, GA median household income ($80,901). It is 24% below the $45,900 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.8, so prices here run 3.2% below the U.S. average.