Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers Salary
Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers in Wilmington, NC make a median of $31,200 a year, or about $15 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $35K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.42), that's roughly $32,358 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,426/month, about 65.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $31K get you in Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (96.42). 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 Wilmington
Pay for laundry and dry-cleaning workers in Wilmington runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,426/month, which is 66.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.42) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for laundry and dry-cleaning workerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for laundry and dry-cleaning workers in metros near Wilmington, 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, Wilmington, NC
Entry-level laundry and dry-cleaning workers (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $31K. Top earners bring in $35K or more, a $7K 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 Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $31K, rent takes 66.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,426/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 Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new laundry and dry-cleaning workers typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,622/month. At HUD’s $1,426/month FMR, rent would take 88% 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 Wilmington?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $31K here vs. $35K nationally.
How does Wilmington compare to the national average for laundry and dry-cleaning workers?
Wilmington pays $31K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $32K — below the national median.
How much do laundry and dry-cleaning workers make in Wilmington, NC?
The median is $31,200 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,040, and experienced laundry and dry-cleaning workers can clear $34,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $31K enough to live in Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,142/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,426/month, which eats 66.6% 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 Wilmington?
Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 96.42 (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 $32,358 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.