Winchester, VA-WV metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a food preparation worker make in Winchester, VA?

In the Winchester, VA-WV metropolitan area, food preparation workers earned a median of $31,620 a year ($15.20 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 230 of these jobs there. That is 33% below the $47,070 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $28,240 and $41,770; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Virginia tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $26,583 in take-home pay.

Food preparation worker pay in Winchester, VA at a glance

Median salary

$31,620$15.20 per hour · $2,635 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$28,240$13.58/hr
25th percentile$28,970$13.93/hr
75th percentile$36,260$17.43/hr
90th percentile$41,770$20.08/hr
Jobs in this metro230Location quotient 0.60 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here33% belowAll-jobs median $47,070
Against Virginia9% belowStatewide median $34,900
Against the U.S.10% 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 Winchester, VA after taxes

$31,620
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$31,620
Net 84%
Fed 5%
VA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$26,583After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,215Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,022Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,614 / yr
Virginia state income tax$1,004 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,419 / yr

Food preparation workers pay range in Winchester, VA, hourly and yearly

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

What food preparation workers earned in the Winchester, VA-WV metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (VA)
10th percentile$13.58/hr$2,353$28,240$24,056
25th percentile$13.93/hr$2,414$28,970$24,606
MedianMedian$15.20/hr$2,635$31,620$26,583
75th percentile$17.43/hr$3,022$36,260$30,044
90th percentile$20.08/hr$3,481$41,770$34,155

Is $31,620 a good salary in Winchester, VA?

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$84,298Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.53.5% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household37.5%of area median income

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

Food preparation worker pay in Winchester, VA: common questions

What is the median salary for food preparation workers in Winchester, VA-WV?

The BLS median annual wage for food preparation workers in the Winchester, VA-WV metro area was $31,620 in May 2025, about $2,635 a month or $15.20 an hour. Statewide, the Virginia median for this job is $34,900, so the metro pays 9% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for food preparation workers in Winchester, VA-WV?

The median hourly wage for food preparation workers in Winchester, VA-WV was $15.20 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.58 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.08.

How many food preparation workers work in Winchester, VA-WV?

BLS estimated 230 jobs for food preparation workers in the metro in May 2025, or 3.4 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.60 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for food preparation workers in Winchester, VA-WV?

BLS wage estimates for food preparation workers in Winchester, VA-WV run from $28,240 at the 10th percentile to $28,970 at the 25th, $36,260 at the 75th, and $41,770 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do food preparation workers take home after taxes in Winchester, VA-WV?

On a median gross salary of $31,620, an estimated $26,583 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,022 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Virginia in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,037 (an effective rate of 15.9%).

How much do food preparation workers make per month in Winchester, VA-WV?

On the median annual salary of $31,620, gross monthly income is $2,635. After federal, FICA, and Virginia state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,215 per month (or $1,022 every two weeks).

Is $31,620 a good salary in Winchester, VA-WV?

At $31,620, the median salary for food preparation workers is 37.5% of the Winchester, VA-WV median household income ($84,298). It is 33% below the $47,070 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.5, so prices here run 3.5% below the U.S. average.