Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC make a median of $32,000 a year, or about $15.38 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $36K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $36,162 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,095/month, about 49.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $32K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). 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 laundry and dry-cleaning workers
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What this looks like in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Laundry and dry-cleaning workers pay in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton tracks closely to the national median, $32K locally vs. $35K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,095/month, which is 49.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% 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 laundry and dry-cleaning workers in metros near Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $31K | $32K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $36K | $39K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $32K | $33K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $35K | $35K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level laundry and dry-cleaning workers (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $36K or more, a $9K spread from bottom to top.
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $40K | +13% | 3,870 |
| Oregon | $38K | +8% | 1,890 |
| District of Columbia | $38K | +8% | 320 |
| California | $38K | +8% | 21,940 |
| Colorado | $38K | +8% | 3,370 |
| Minnesota | $38K | +8% | 3,530 |
| Massachusetts | $37K | +7% | 3,700 |
| North Dakota | $37K | +7% | 840 |
| Maine | $37K | +7% | 820 |
| Vermont | $37K | +7% | 280 |
| Rhode Island | $37K | +7% | 650 |
| New Hampshire | $37K | +6% | 890 |
| Arizona | $37K | +5% | 4,290 |
| Connecticut | $36K | +4% | 1,830 |
| Montana | $36K | +4% | 1,030 |
| Nevada | $36K | +4% | 4,540 |
| Alaska | $36K | +3% | 750 |
| New Jersey | $36K | +3% | 6,110 |
| Wisconsin | $36K | +2% | 3,310 |
| Utah | $36K | +2% | 1,470 |
| Hawaii | $36K | +2% | 1,730 |
| Illinois | $35K | +1% | 8,550 |
| Idaho | $35K | +1% | 1,350 |
| Michigan | $35K | +1% | 4,970 |
| New York | $35K | +0% | 13,020 |
| Nebraska | $35K | -0% | 1,060 |
| Maryland | $35K | -1% | 3,780 |
| Pennsylvania | $34K | -2% | 6,290 |
| Iowa | $34K | -2% | 1,900 |
| Missouri | $34K | -3% | 3,930 |
| Delaware | $34K | -3% | 710 |
| Tennessee | $33K | -5% | 5,730 |
| South Dakota | $33K | -6% | 750 |
| Florida | $32K | -7% | 14,150 |
| Virginia | $32K | -8% | 4,900 |
| North Carolina | $32K | -9% | 5,570 |
| Indiana | $31K | -11% | 3,190 |
| New Mexico | $31K | -12% | 1,320 |
| Georgia | $31K | -12% | 5,150 |
| Ohio | $31K | -13% | 6,990 |
| South Carolina | $30K | -13% | 3,160 |
| Kansas | $30K | -14% | 2,160 |
| Texas | $30K | -15% | 17,030 |
| Kentucky | $29K | -16% | 2,350 |
| West Virginia | $29K | -17% | 1,340 |
| Wyoming | $29K | -18% | 690 |
| Arkansas | $28K | -18% | 1,640 |
| Alabama | $28K | -19% | 2,150 |
| Oklahoma | $28K | -19% | 2,680 |
| Louisiana | $27K | -21% | 2,950 |
| Mississippi | $27K | -22% | 1,420 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track laundry and dry-cleaning workers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a laundry and dry-cleaning worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 49.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/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 laundry and dry-cleaning workers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new laundry and dry-cleaning workers typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,606/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 68% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is laundry and dry-cleaning worker a high-paying job in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $32K locally vs. $35K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for laundry and dry-cleaning workers?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do laundry and dry-cleaning workers make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $32,000 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,770, and experienced laundry and dry-cleaning workers can clear $35,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,193/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 49.9% 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 laundry and dry-cleaning workers salary go in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (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 laundry and dry-cleaning workers salary is worth about $36,162 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do laundry and dry-cleaning 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.