Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary
Fast Food and Counter Workers in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT make a median of $36,550 a year, or about $17.57 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $43K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.86), so that salary is closer to $34,204 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,511/month, about 99.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury’s Regional Price Parity (106.86). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About fast food and counter workers
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What this looks like in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury sits well above the national pay line for fast food and counter workers, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $31K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,511/month, which is 101.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 7% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.86), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for fast food and counter workers in metros near Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $35K | $34K |
| New Haven | $35K | $34K |
| Waterbury-Shelton | $35K | $35K |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic | $35K | $35K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT
Entry-level fast food and counter workers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $43K or more, a $8K spread from bottom to top.
Fast Food and Counter Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Fast Food and Counter Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $42K | +36% | 449,840 |
| Washington | $38K | +21% | 94,710 |
| District of Columbia | $37K | +20% | 5,500 |
| Colorado | $36K | +16% | 82,010 |
| Vermont | $36K | +15% | 6,830 |
| Massachusetts | $36K | +15% | 85,810 |
| Connecticut | $35K | +13% | 35,720 |
| New York | $35K | +13% | 168,620 |
| Hawaii | $35K | +13% | 24,130 |
| Oregon | $35K | +12% | 59,920 |
| Maine | $35K | +11% | 17,250 |
| Arizona | $34K | +10% | 77,210 |
| New Jersey | $34K | +9% | 93,730 |
| Illinois | $34K | +9% | 127,590 |
| Maryland | $34K | +8% | 49,380 |
| Alaska | $33K | +7% | 5,900 |
| Nevada | $32K | +2% | 45,850 |
| New Hampshire | $32K | +1% | 14,540 |
| Rhode Island | $31K | +1% | 13,310 |
| Minnesota | $31K | +1% | 58,970 |
| Delaware | $31K | +0% | 13,310 |
| Missouri | $30K | -3% | 29,360 |
| Virginia | $30K | -3% | 104,460 |
| North Dakota | $30K | -4% | 11,470 |
| South Dakota | $29K | -5% | 15,150 |
| Montana | $29K | -7% | 14,960 |
| Florida | $29K | -7% | 235,400 |
| Nebraska | $29K | -7% | 30,060 |
| Idaho | $29K | -7% | 25,810 |
| Michigan | $29K | -7% | 103,130 |
| Indiana | $29K | -8% | 97,290 |
| New Mexico | $29K | -8% | 28,250 |
| Utah | $29K | -8% | 52,340 |
| Wisconsin | $29K | -8% | 67,750 |
| Pennsylvania | $29K | -8% | 142,220 |
| North Carolina | $29K | -8% | 92,230 |
| Ohio | $28K | -9% | 163,560 |
| Iowa | $28K | -9% | 40,290 |
| Wyoming | $28K | -11% | 7,060 |
| Texas | $28K | -11% | 460,530 |
| Kansas | $28K | -12% | 47,140 |
| South Carolina | $28K | -12% | 65,070 |
| Tennessee | $27K | -12% | 90,690 |
| Kentucky | $27K | -13% | 41,860 |
| Georgia | $27K | -14% | 145,030 |
| Arkansas | $26K | -16% | 35,660 |
| West Virginia | $26K | -16% | 6,240 |
| Alabama | $24K | -24% | 41,460 |
| Oklahoma | $23K | -25% | 52,520 |
| Louisiana | $23K | -27% | 45,720 |
| Mississippi | $23K | -28% | 31,220 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track fast food and counter workers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a fast food and counter worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 101.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,511/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for fast food and counter workers in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fast food and counter workers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,097/month. At HUD’s $2,511/month FMR, rent would take 120% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is fast food and counter worker a high-paying job in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $37K here vs. $31K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 7% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury compare to the national average for fast food and counter workers?
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $31K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do fast food and counter workers make in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT?
The median is $36,550 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,950, and experienced fast food and counter workers can clear $42,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,482/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,511/month, which eats 101.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a fast food and counter workers salary go in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury has a Regional Price Parity of 106.86 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median fast food and counter workers salary is worth about $34,204 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do fast food and counter workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.