Fast Food and Counter Workers Salary
Fast Food and Counter Workers in Hammond, LA make a median of $22,350 a year, or about $10.74 an hour. The range runs from $18K at the entry level to $31K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 84.46), which stretches that salary to about $26,462 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,099/month, about 69.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $22K get you in Hammond?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hammond’s Regional Price Parity (84.46). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Hammond
Pay for fast food and counter workers in Hammond runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $31K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,099/month, which is 68.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 84.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 16% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for fast food and counter workerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for fast food and counter workers in metros near Hammond, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $25K | $28K |
| Baton Rouge | $24K | $26K |
| Lafayette | $22K | $26K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $22K | $26K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hammond, LA
Entry-level fast food and counter workers (10th percentile) start around $18K. Mid-career wages sit at $22K. Top earners bring in $31K or more, a $13K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hammond numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
Can a fast food and counter worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hammond?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $22K, rent takes 68.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,099/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $500/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 Hammond?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fast food and counter workers typically earn — is $18K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,071/month. At HUD’s $1,099/month FMR, rent would take 103% 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 Hammond?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $22K here vs. $31K nationally. Cost of living is 16% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Hammond compare to the national average for fast food and counter workers?
Hammond pays $22K median vs. the U.S. average of $31K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 84.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $26K — below the national median.
How much do fast food and counter workers make in Hammond, LA?
The median is $22,350 a year, that works out to about $11 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $17,850, and experienced fast food and counter workers can clear $30,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $22K enough to live in Hammond?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,611/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,099/month, which eats 68.2% 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 Hammond?
Hammond has a Regional Price Parity of 84.46 (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 $26,462 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.