Punta Gorda, FL metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a restaurant cook make in Punta Gorda, FL?

In the Punta Gorda, FL metropolitan area, restaurant cooks earned a median of $36,730 a year ($17.66 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 990 of these jobs there. That is 19% below the $45,500 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $29,650 and $44,530; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Florida tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $31,693 in take-home pay.

Restaurant cook pay in Punta Gorda, FL at a glance

Median salary

$36,730$17.66 per hour · $3,061 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$29,650$14.26/hr
25th percentile$35,120$16.88/hr
75th percentile$38,720$18.61/hr
90th percentile$44,530$21.41/hr
Jobs in this metro990Location quotient 1.89 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here19% belowAll-jobs median $45,500
Against Florida1% belowStatewide median $37,020
Against the U.S.2% belowNational median $37,390

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Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Restaurant cook salary in Punta Gorda, FL after taxes

$36,730
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,730
Net 86%
Fed 6%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$31,693After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,641Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,219Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate13.7%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,228 / yr
Florida state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,810 / yr

Restaurant cooks pay range in Punta Gorda, FL, hourly and yearly

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

What restaurant cooks earned in the Punta Gorda, FL metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (FL)
10th percentile$14.26/hr$2,471$29,650$26,004
25th percentile$16.88/hr$2,927$35,120$30,399
MedianMedian$17.66/hr$3,061$36,730$31,693
75th percentile$18.61/hr$3,227$38,720$33,292
90th percentile$21.41/hr$3,711$44,530$37,960

Is $36,730 a good salary in Punta Gorda, FL?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for restaurant cooks next to both.

Median household income$69,952Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)100.50.5% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household52.5%of area median income

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

Do restaurant cooks pay tax on tips?

Yes, but less than before. This job is on the Treasury's list of tipped occupations, so from 2025 through 2028 up to $25,000 a year of reported tips comes off federal taxable income, shrinking above $150,000 of income ($300,000 joint). Social Security and Medicare are still owed on every tip, and most states still tax them. The BLS pay figures on this page already include tips as employers report them.

See what the tips deduction saves you →

Restaurant cook pay in Punta Gorda, FL: common questions

What is the median salary for restaurant cooks in Punta Gorda, FL?

The BLS median annual wage for restaurant cooks in the Punta Gorda, FL metro area was $36,730 in May 2025, about $3,061 a month or $17.66 an hour. Statewide, the Florida median for this job is $37,020, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for restaurant cooks in Punta Gorda, FL?

The median hourly wage for restaurant cooks in Punta Gorda, FL was $17.66 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $14.26 an hour and one in ten earned more than $21.41.

How many restaurant cooks work in Punta Gorda, FL?

BLS estimated 990 jobs for restaurant cooks in the metro in May 2025, or 17.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.89 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for restaurant cooks in Punta Gorda, FL?

BLS wage estimates for restaurant cooks in Punta Gorda, FL run from $29,650 at the 10th percentile to $35,120 at the 25th, $38,720 at the 75th, and $44,530 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do restaurant cooks take home after taxes in Punta Gorda, FL?

On a median gross salary of $36,730, an estimated $31,693 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,219 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Florida in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,037 (an effective rate of 13.7%).

How much do restaurant cooks make per month in Punta Gorda, FL?

On the median annual salary of $36,730, gross monthly income is $3,061. After federal, FICA, and Florida state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,641 per month (or $1,219 every two weeks).

Is $36,730 a good salary in Punta Gorda, FL?

At $36,730, the median salary for restaurant cooks is 52.5% of the Punta Gorda, FL median household income ($69,952). It is 19% below the $45,500 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.5, so prices here run 0.5% above the U.S. average.