Recreation Workers Salary
Recreation Workers in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN make a median of $30,190 a year, or about $14.52 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.07), which stretches that salary to about $32,438 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 61.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $30K get you in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Louisville/Jefferson County’s Regional Price Parity (93.07). 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 recreation workers
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What this looks like in Louisville/Jefferson County
Pay for recreation workers in Louisville/Jefferson County runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $37K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 60.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.07 (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 recreation workerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for recreation workers in metros near Louisville/Jefferson County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette | $33K | $35K |
| Bowling Green | $29K | $32K |
| Owensboro | $27K | $30K |
| Elizabethtown | $35K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
Entry-level recreation workers (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Recreation Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Recreation Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $46K | +27% | 470 |
| Washington | $45K | +23% | 6,380 |
| South Dakota | $42K | +16% | 650 |
| Hawaii | $41K | +12% | 1,590 |
| California | $40K | +9% | 48,560 |
| Oregon | $40K | +8% | 4,640 |
| Colorado | $39K | +6% | 6,100 |
| Massachusetts | $39K | +5% | 11,280 |
| New York | $38K | +4% | 24,790 |
| Minnesota | $38K | +3% | 7,940 |
| Alaska | $38K | +3% | 630 |
| Maine | $37K | +2% | 1,260 |
| Vermont | $37K | +2% | 840 |
| North Dakota | $37K | +2% | 730 |
| Maryland | $37K | +2% | 4,350 |
| New Hampshire | $37K | +1% | 2,030 |
| New Jersey | $37K | +1% | 7,550 |
| Connecticut | $37K | +0% | 5,000 |
| Rhode Island | $36K | -1% | 770 |
| Virginia | $36K | -1% | 9,260 |
| Arizona | $36K | -2% | 12,650 |
| Pennsylvania | $36K | -2% | 9,850 |
| Wisconsin | $36K | -3% | 6,840 |
| Florida | $35K | -3% | 18,010 |
| Illinois | $35K | -3% | 17,650 |
| Michigan | $35K | -4% | 10,850 |
| Montana | $35K | -4% | 800 |
| Nebraska | $35K | -5% | 1,510 |
| Missouri | $34K | -6% | 5,380 |
| Delaware | $34K | -8% | 1,230 |
| Iowa | $34K | -8% | 2,870 |
| Tennessee | $34K | -8% | 3,420 |
| Utah | $33K | -10% | 5,760 |
| Texas | $33K | -11% | 18,660 |
| North Carolina | $33K | -11% | 9,520 |
| Georgia | $33K | -11% | 8,160 |
| Ohio | $32K | -11% | 12,340 |
| Kentucky | $32K | -11% | 3,290 |
| New Mexico | $32K | -13% | 870 |
| Kansas | $32K | -13% | 2,990 |
| Oklahoma | $32K | -14% | 2,380 |
| South Carolina | $31K | -14% | 5,270 |
| Wyoming | $31K | -16% | 790 |
| Indiana | $30K | -17% | 8,050 |
| Nevada | $30K | -18% | 2,570 |
| Idaho | $30K | -18% | 2,080 |
| West Virginia | $30K | -19% | 1,410 |
| Louisiana | $29K | -22% | 2,830 |
| Alabama | $28K | -22% | 4,700 |
| Mississippi | $28K | -23% | 2,220 |
| Arkansas | $28K | -24% | 1,740 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track recreation workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisville/Jefferson County numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a recreation worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisville/Jefferson County?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 60.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/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 recreation workers in Louisville/Jefferson County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new recreation workers typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,342/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 95% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is recreation worker a high-paying job in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $30K here vs. $37K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisville/Jefferson County compare to the national average for recreation workers?
Louisville/Jefferson County pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.07), the purchasing-power equivalent is $32K — below the national median.
How much do recreation workers make in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?
The median is $30,190 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,360, and experienced recreation workers can clear $45,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in Louisville/Jefferson County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,091/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 60.8% 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 recreation workers salary go in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Louisville/Jefferson County has a Regional Price Parity of 93.07 (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 recreation workers salary is worth about $32,438 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do recreation 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.