Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers in Kentucky make a median of $29,220 a year, or about $14.05 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $37K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $32,384 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 53.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Kentucky. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $29K get you in Kentucky?
About laundry and dry-cleaning workers
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for laundry and dry-cleaning workers in Kentucky runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,110/month, which is 54.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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 laundry and dry-cleaning workerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level laundry and dry-cleaning workers (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $37K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers salary by metro in Kentucky
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paducah | $31K | +5% | 80 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $30K | +3% | 920 |
| Lexington-Fayette | $29K | +0% | 350 |
| Bowling Green | $28K | -3% | 90 |
| Elizabethtown | $28K | -6% | 70 |
| Owensboro | $28K | -6% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track laundry and dry-cleaning workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a laundry and dry-cleaning worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 54.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/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 laundry and dry-cleaning workers in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new laundry and dry-cleaning workers typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,388/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 80% 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 Kentucky?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $29K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for laundry and dry-cleaning workers?
Kentucky pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $32K — below the national median.
How much do laundry and dry-cleaning workers make in Kentucky?
The median is $29,220 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,140, and experienced laundry and dry-cleaning workers can clear $36,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,029/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 54.7% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $32,384 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.