Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop Salary
In Athens-Clarke County, GA, hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops earn $25,840 at the median, or about $12.42 an hour. The range runs from $17K at the entry level to $31K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.34), which stretches that salary to about $27,684 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,331/month, about 72.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $26K get you in Athens-Clarke County?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Athens-Clarke County’s Regional Price Parity (93.34). 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.
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What this looks like in Athens-Clarke County
Pay for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop in Athens-Clarke County runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $31K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,331/month, which is 73.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.34 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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 hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops in metros near Athens-Clarke County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $29K | $29K |
| Savannah | $28K | $30K |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $26K | $28K |
| Columbus | $25K | $28K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Athens-Clarke County, GA
Entry-level hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops (10th percentile) start around $17K. Mid-career wages sit at $26K. Top earners bring in $31K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $47K | +51% | 2,650 |
| Oregon | $41K | +31% | 5,740 |
| District of Columbia | $38K | +20% | 2,450 |
| Washington | $37K | +19% | 9,530 |
| Maine | $37K | +18% | 1,460 |
| California | $37K | +17% | 41,100 |
| New York | $36K | +17% | 18,640 |
| Colorado | $36K | +16% | 9,490 |
| Massachusetts | $35K | +12% | 13,540 |
| Maryland | $35K | +12% | 7,390 |
| Arizona | $35K | +11% | 10,710 |
| Connecticut | $34K | +10% | 3,670 |
| New Jersey | $34K | +9% | 9,420 |
| New Hampshire | $34K | +9% | 2,130 |
| Rhode Island | $31K | +1% | N/A |
| Illinois | $31K | +0% | 16,500 |
| Delaware | $31K | +0% | 1,680 |
| Nevada | $31K | -0% | 6,570 |
| Vermont | $31K | -0% | 1,060 |
| Virginia | $30K | -2% | 10,890 |
| South Dakota | $30K | -3% | 630 |
| Alaska | $30K | -3% | 740 |
| Minnesota | $30K | -3% | 7,150 |
| Florida | $30K | -4% | 37,100 |
| Utah | $30K | -5% | 4,950 |
| Pennsylvania | $29K | -7% | 18,020 |
| Missouri | $29K | -7% | 8,510 |
| Michigan | $29K | -7% | 12,620 |
| Montana | $29K | -7% | 1,260 |
| North Dakota | $29K | -8% | 800 |
| New Mexico | $28K | -9% | 2,670 |
| Nebraska | $28K | -9% | 2,830 |
| North Carolina | $28K | -9% | 15,160 |
| Iowa | $28K | -10% | 2,630 |
| Kansas | $28K | -10% | 4,540 |
| Wisconsin | $28K | -10% | 6,430 |
| Georgia | $28K | -11% | 17,300 |
| Ohio | $28K | -12% | 15,480 |
| Tennessee | $27K | -12% | 11,280 |
| Idaho | $27K | -13% | 2,360 |
| Kentucky | $27K | -13% | 5,120 |
| Texas | $27K | -13% | 35,550 |
| South Carolina | $27K | -13% | 7,990 |
| Indiana | $27K | -14% | 9,730 |
| Arkansas | $27K | -14% | 3,110 |
| Alabama | $26K | -16% | 5,400 |
| Oklahoma | $25K | -21% | 5,060 |
| West Virginia | $24K | -22% | 1,580 |
| Wyoming | $23K | -27% | 660 |
| Louisiana | $22K | -29% | 6,440 |
| Mississippi | $22K | -30% | 2,660 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop afford a 2BR apartment alone in Athens-Clarke County?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $26K, rent takes 73.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,331/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 hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops in Athens-Clarke County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops typically earn — is $17K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,044/month. At HUD’s $1,331/month FMR, rent would take 127% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop a high-paying job in Athens-Clarke County?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $26K here vs. $31K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Athens-Clarke County compare to the national average for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops?
Athens-Clarke County pays $26K median vs. the U.S. average of $31K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $28K — below the national median.
How much do hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops make in Athens-Clarke County, GA?
The median is $25,840 a year, that works out to about $12 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $17,400, and experienced hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops can clear $31,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $26K enough to live in Athens-Clarke County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,818/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,331/month, which eats 73.2% 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 hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary go in Athens-Clarke County?
Athens-Clarke County has a Regional Price Parity of 93.34 (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 hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop salary is worth about $27,684 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shops 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.