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Paducah, KY-IL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

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

In the Paducah, KY-IL metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $27,210 a year ($13.08 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 480 of these jobs there. That is 41% below the $45,860 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $21,300 and $36,260; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Illinois tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $22,815 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Paducah, KY at a glance

Median salary

$27,210$13.08 per hour · $2,268 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$21,300$10.24/hr
25th percentile$23,310$11.21/hr
75th percentile$32,650$15.70/hr
90th percentile$36,260$17.43/hr
Jobs in this metro480Location quotient 1.65 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here41% belowAll-jobs median $45,860
Against Illinois22% belowStatewide median $34,850
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.

Take-home payWhat $27,000 a year leaves after tax in IllinoisFederal tax, FICA and Illinois withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$13 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $27,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $27,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation Illinois publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about Illinois.

Food preparation worker salary in Paducah, KY after taxes

$27,210
$15,000$55,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$27,210
Net 84%
Fed 4%
IL 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$22,815After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,901Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$878Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,111 / yr
Illinois state income tax$1,202 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,082 / yr
Customize deductions in full Illinois calculator

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

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Paducah, KY-IL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (IL)
10th percentile$10.24/hr$1,775$21,300$18,241
25th percentile$11.21/hr$1,943$23,310$19,797
MedianMedian$13.08/hr$2,268$27,210$22,815
75th percentile$15.70/hr$2,721$32,650$26,943
90th percentile$17.43/hr$3,022$36,260$29,665

Is $27,210 a good salary in Paducah, 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$64,160Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)86.113.9% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household42.4%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 Illinois metros

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

Food preparation worker pay in Paducah, KY: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Paducah, KY-IL?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Paducah, KY-IL metro area was $27,210 in May 2025, about $2,268 a month or $13.08 an hour. Statewide, the Illinois median for this job is $34,850, so the metro pays 22% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Paducah, KY-IL?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Paducah, KY-IL was $13.08 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $10.24 an hour and one in ten earned more than $17.43.

How many food preparation workers work in Paducah, KY-IL?

BLS estimated 480 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 Paducah, KY-IL?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Paducah, KY-IL run from $21,300 at the 10th percentile to $23,310 at the 25th, $32,650 at the 75th, and $36,260 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Paducah, KY-IL?

On a median gross salary of $27,210, an estimated $22,815 lands in net take-home pay per year ($878 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Illinois in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,395 (an effective rate of 16.2%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Paducah, KY-IL?

On the median annual salary of $27,210, gross monthly income is $2,268. After federal, FICA, and Illinois state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,901 per month (or $878 every two weeks).

Is $27,210 a good salary in Paducah, KY-IL?

At $27,210, the median salary for food preparation workers is 42.4% of the Paducah, KY-IL median household income ($64,160). It is 41% below the $45,860 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 86.1, so prices here run 13.9% below the U.S. average.