Lexington-Fayette, KY metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

In the Lexington-Fayette, KY metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $27,340 a year ($13.14 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 2,310 of these jobs there. That is 44% below the $48,620 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $22,180 and $37,420; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Kentucky tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $23,285 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Lexington-Fayette, KY at a glance

Median salary

$27,340$13.14 per hour · $2,278 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$22,180$10.66/hr
25th percentile$24,230$11.65/hr
75th percentile$34,750$16.71/hr
90th percentile$37,420$17.99/hr
Jobs in this metro2,310Location quotient 1.40 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here44% belowAll-jobs median $48,620
Against Kentucky2% aboveStatewide median $26,850
Against the U.S.23% 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.

Food preparation worker salary in Lexington-Fayette, KY after taxes

$27,340
$15,000$55,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$27,340
Net 85%
Fed 4%
KY 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$23,285After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,940Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$896Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,124 / yr
Kentucky state income tax$839 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,092 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Lexington-Fayette, KY, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Lexington-Fayette, KY metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (KY)
10th percentile$10.66/hr$1,848$22,180$19,217
25th percentile$11.65/hr$2,019$24,230$20,833
MedianMedian$13.14/hr$2,278$27,340$23,285
75th percentile$16.71/hr$2,896$34,750$29,003
90th percentile$17.99/hr$3,118$37,420$31,055

Is $27,340 a good salary in Lexington-Fayette, 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$71,966Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.97.1% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household38%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Lexington-Fayette, KY: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Lexington-Fayette, KY metro area was $27,340 in May 2025, about $2,278 a month or $13.14 an hour. Statewide, the Kentucky median for this job is $26,850, so the metro pays 2% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Lexington-Fayette, KY was $13.14 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.66 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.99.

How many food preparation workers work in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

BLS estimated 2,310 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 8.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.40 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Lexington-Fayette, KY run from $22,180 at the 10th percentile to $24,230 at the 25th, $34,750 at the 75th, and $37,420 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

On a median gross salary of $27,340, an estimated $23,285 lands in net take-home pay per year ($896 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Kentucky in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,055 (an effective rate of 14.8%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

On the median annual salary of $27,340, gross monthly income is $2,278. After federal, FICA, and Kentucky state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,940 per month (or $896 every two weeks).

Is $27,340 a good salary in Lexington-Fayette, KY?

At $27,340, the median salary for food preparation workers is 38% of the Lexington-Fayette, KY median household income ($71,966). It is 44% below the $48,620 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.9, so prices here run 7.1% below the U.S. average.