Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other Salary
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Others in Chattanooga, TN-GA make a median of $37,410 a year, or about $17.99 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $37K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $40,903 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 51.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). 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 food preparation and serving related workers, all others
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Food preparation and serving related workers, all other pay in Chattanooga tracks closely to the national median, $37K locally vs. $36K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,390/month, which is 52% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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 food preparation and serving related workers, all others in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Clarksville | $37K | $40K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $40K | $42K |
| Knoxville | $36K | $39K |
| Memphis | $39K | $42K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level food preparation and serving related workers, all others (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $37K or more, a $15K spread from bottom to top.
Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $46K | +29% | N/A |
| Hawaii | $44K | +21% | 410 |
| Oregon | $39K | +9% | 600 |
| Illinois | $39K | +8% | 2,720 |
| District of Columbia | $39K | +8% | 40 |
| New Hampshire | $38K | +7% | 370 |
| Indiana | $38K | +6% | N/A |
| Arizona | $38K | +5% | 1,060 |
| Maryland | $38K | +5% | 3,540 |
| Utah | $37K | +4% | 290 |
| California | $37K | +3% | 30,730 |
| Tennessee | $37K | +2% | 2,670 |
| Connecticut | $36K | +1% | 1,060 |
| New Jersey | $36K | +1% | 3,780 |
| New Mexico | $36K | +1% | 130 |
| Virginia | $36K | +0% | 1,390 |
| Colorado | $36K | -0% | 2,970 |
| Massachusetts | $35K | -2% | N/A |
| Michigan | $35K | -2% | 530 |
| Washington | $35K | -3% | N/A |
| New York | $34K | -4% | 380 |
| Florida | $34K | -5% | 3,900 |
| Delaware | $34K | -6% | N/A |
| Iowa | $33K | -7% | 310 |
| Pennsylvania | $33K | -8% | 730 |
| Vermont | $32K | -10% | 120 |
| Wyoming | $32K | -11% | 80 |
| Arkansas | $32K | -12% | 430 |
| Nevada | $32K | -12% | 1,140 |
| Wisconsin | $31K | -13% | 490 |
| Oklahoma | $31K | -13% | 140 |
| Rhode Island | $31K | -13% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $31K | -15% | 810 |
| Texas | $30K | -16% | 4,030 |
| North Carolina | $30K | -16% | 4,670 |
| Montana | $30K | -17% | 470 |
| Missouri | $29K | -20% | N/A |
| Ohio | $28K | -23% | 3,260 |
| Georgia | $26K | -28% | 3,130 |
| North Dakota | $23K | -35% | N/A |
| Alabama | $23K | -36% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $22K | -38% | 850 |
| Louisiana | $22K | -39% | 3,670 |
| West Virginia | $22K | -40% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track food preparation and serving related workers, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chattanooga numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
Can a food preparation and serving related workers, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 52% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for food preparation and serving related workers, all others in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food preparation and serving related workers, all others typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,346/month. At HUD’s $1,390/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 food preparation and serving related workers, all other a high-paying job in Chattanooga?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $37K locally vs. $36K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for food preparation and serving related workers, all others?
Chattanooga pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $36K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food preparation and serving related workers, all others make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $37,410 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,440, and experienced food preparation and serving related workers, all others can clear $37,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,675/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 52% 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 food preparation and serving related workers, all other salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (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 food preparation and serving related workers, all other salary is worth about $40,903 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food preparation and serving related workers, all others 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.