Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers Salary
The median pay for a merchandise displayers and window trimmers in Lake Charles, LA is $34,200/year ($16.44/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.85), which stretches that salary to about $39,837 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,217/month, about 52.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $34K get you in Lake Charles?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lake Charles’s Regional Price Parity (85.85). 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 merchandise displayers and window trimmers
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What this looks like in Lake Charles
Pay for merchandise displayers and window trimmers in Lake Charles runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $39K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,217/month, which is 51.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% 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 merchandise displayers and window trimmerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for merchandise displayers and window trimmers in metros near Lake Charles, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $40K | $43K |
| Baton Rouge | $36K | $39K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $36K | $42K |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $31K | $36K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lake Charles, LA
Entry-level merchandise displayers and window trimmers (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $49K | +24% | 2,550 |
| California | $47K | +19% | 17,840 |
| Alaska | $47K | +18% | 540 |
| Maine | $46K | +16% | 910 |
| Minnesota | $46K | +16% | 1,820 |
| Oregon | $45K | +15% | 1,220 |
| Vermont | $45K | +14% | 180 |
| Montana | $44K | +11% | 580 |
| New York | $44K | +11% | 10,430 |
| Maryland | $43K | +10% | 1,920 |
| Massachusetts | $43K | +10% | 3,360 |
| Colorado | $43K | +10% | 3,650 |
| Missouri | $43K | +9% | 2,700 |
| Alabama | $43K | +9% | 2,900 |
| Connecticut | $42K | +8% | 1,450 |
| North Dakota | $42K | +7% | 350 |
| New Hampshire | $41K | +4% | 690 |
| Hawaii | $40K | +2% | 990 |
| Illinois | $40K | +2% | 3,090 |
| South Dakota | $40K | +2% | 320 |
| Kansas | $40K | +1% | 1,580 |
| Utah | $40K | +1% | 1,160 |
| Iowa | $40K | +1% | 1,860 |
| Arizona | $40K | +1% | 3,130 |
| Wisconsin | $40K | +0% | 2,930 |
| District of Columbia | $39K | +0% | 250 |
| Nevada | $39K | +0% | 2,300 |
| Wyoming | $39K | -2% | 220 |
| Idaho | $39K | -2% | 1,570 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -3% | 1,570 |
| New Jersey | $38K | -3% | 5,120 |
| Nebraska | $38K | -4% | 680 |
| North Carolina | $38K | -4% | 6,040 |
| Ohio | $38K | -4% | 6,930 |
| Virginia | $38K | -4% | 4,450 |
| Pennsylvania | $38K | -4% | 5,230 |
| Delaware | $38K | -4% | 490 |
| Rhode Island | $38K | -5% | N/A |
| Texas | $37K | -5% | 14,730 |
| Georgia | $37K | -6% | 7,790 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -7% | 2,550 |
| Michigan | $37K | -7% | 5,050 |
| West Virginia | $37K | -7% | 750 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -7% | 880 |
| Indiana | $37K | -7% | 2,610 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -8% | 1,670 |
| Florida | $36K | -8% | 14,360 |
| Kentucky | $36K | -9% | 2,460 |
| Louisiana | $35K | -12% | 2,360 |
| Tennessee | $35K | -12% | 4,710 |
| Mississippi | $33K | -16% | 1,760 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track merchandise displayers and window trimmers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a merchandise displayers and window trimmer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lake Charles?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 51.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,217/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 merchandise displayers and window trimmers in Lake Charles?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new merchandise displayers and window trimmers typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,769/month. At HUD’s $1,217/month FMR, rent would take 69% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is merchandise displayers and window trimmer a high-paying job in Lake Charles?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $34K here vs. $39K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lake Charles compare to the national average for merchandise displayers and window trimmers?
Lake Charles pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do merchandise displayers and window trimmers make in Lake Charles, LA?
The median is $34,200 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,490, and experienced merchandise displayers and window trimmers can clear $61,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Lake Charles?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,377/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,217/month, which eats 51.2% 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 merchandise displayers and window trimmers salary go in Lake Charles?
Lake Charles has a Regional Price Parity of 85.85 (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 merchandise displayers and window trimmers salary is worth about $39,837 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do merchandise displayers and window trimmers 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.