Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers Salary
In Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL, tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers earn $29,280 at the median, or about $14.08 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $43K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.35), that's roughly $28,608 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,961/month, about 89.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $29K get you in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cape Coral-Fort Myers’s Regional Price Parity (102.35). 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 tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers
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What this looks like in Cape Coral-Fort Myers
Pay for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers in Cape Coral-Fort Myers runs about 30% below the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,961/month, which is 92.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.35) 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 tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers in metros near Cape Coral-Fort Myers, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $44K | $38K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $44K | $43K |
| Jacksonville | $39K | $39K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $51K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
Entry-level tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $43K or more, a $14K spread from bottom to top.
Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $60K | +45% | 1,160 |
| District of Columbia | $58K | +39% | 80 |
| Washington | $54K | +30% | 100 |
| Hawaii | $54K | +29% | N/A |
| Colorado | $51K | +23% | 160 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +21% | N/A |
| Nevada | $49K | +18% | 100 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | +16% | 610 |
| Missouri | $48K | +16% | 200 |
| Maryland | $48K | +16% | N/A |
| Utah | $48K | +15% | 290 |
| Oregon | $47K | +14% | 100 |
| Minnesota | $46K | +11% | 290 |
| Virginia | $46K | +11% | 300 |
| New Hampshire | $46K | +10% | 60 |
| Delaware | $44K | +7% | N/A |
| California | $44K | +7% | 2,180 |
| New Mexico | $43K | +4% | N/A |
| Wisconsin | $43K | +4% | 210 |
| Georgia | $43K | +4% | 360 |
| New Jersey | $43K | +4% | 350 |
| Illinois | $42K | +2% | 320 |
| North Carolina | $41K | -1% | 740 |
| Arizona | $40K | -3% | N/A |
| Connecticut | $40K | -4% | 210 |
| Florida | $40K | -4% | 920 |
| Tennessee | $39K | -7% | 170 |
| Nebraska | $38K | -8% | 40 |
| Michigan | $38K | -10% | 280 |
| Ohio | $37K | -11% | 510 |
| Indiana | $36K | -12% | 360 |
| Texas | $36K | -13% | 1,540 |
| Montana | $35K | -17% | 50 |
| Louisiana | $34K | -19% | 250 |
| South Carolina | $33K | -21% | 340 |
| Kentucky | $33K | -22% | 230 |
| Iowa | $32K | -24% | 130 |
| Alabama | $31K | -25% | 90 |
| Arkansas | $31K | -26% | 80 |
| Kansas | $27K | -35% | 40 |
| Oklahoma | $26K | -37% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $25K | -39% | 160 |
Showing 1–10 of 42 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cape Coral-Fort Myers numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 92.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,961/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 tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,757/month. At HUD’s $1,961/month FMR, rent would take 112% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewer a high-paying job in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
Local pay runs 30% below the national median — $29K here vs. $42K nationally.
How does Cape Coral-Fort Myers compare to the national average for tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers?
Cape Coral-Fort Myers pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s -30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.35), the purchasing-power equivalent is $29K — below the national median.
How much do tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers make in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL?
The median is $29,280 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,280, and experienced tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers can clear $43,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,130/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,961/month, which eats 92.1% 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 tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers salary go in Cape Coral-Fort Myers?
Cape Coral-Fort Myers has a Regional Price Parity of 102.35 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers salary is worth about $28,608 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tailors, dressmakers, and custom sewers 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.