Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary
Fast Food and Counter Workers in Elkhart-Goshen, IN make a median of $28,300 a year, or about $13.6 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $36K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.33), which stretches that salary to about $31,330 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,183/month, about 58.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $28K get you in Elkhart-Goshen?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Elkhart-Goshen’s Regional Price Parity (90.33). 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 Elkhart-Goshen
Fast food and counter workers pay in Elkhart-Goshen tracks closely to the national median, $28K locally vs. $31K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,183/month, which is 59.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for fast food and counter workers in metros near Elkhart-Goshen, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $29K | $30K |
| Fort Wayne | $28K | $31K |
| Evansville | $28K | $31K |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $28K | $30K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Elkhart-Goshen, IN
Entry-level fast food and counter workers (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $28K. Top earners bring in $36K or more, a $14K 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 Elkhart-Goshen?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $28K, rent takes 59.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,183/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/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 Elkhart-Goshen?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fast food and counter workers typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,318/month. At HUD’s $1,183/month FMR, rent would take 90% 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 Elkhart-Goshen?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $28K locally vs. $31K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Elkhart-Goshen compare to the national average for fast food and counter workers?
Elkhart-Goshen pays $28K median vs. the U.S. average of $31K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $31K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do fast food and counter workers make in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?
The median is $28,300 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,970, and experienced fast food and counter workers can clear $35,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $28K enough to live in Elkhart-Goshen?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,993/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,183/month, which eats 59.4% 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 Elkhart-Goshen?
Elkhart-Goshen has a Regional Price Parity of 90.33 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median fast food and counter workers salary is worth about $31,330 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.