Upholsterers Salary
Upholsterers in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN make a median of $45,090 a year, or about $21.68 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.07), which stretches that salary to about $48,447 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 41.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K 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 upholsterers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Louisville/Jefferson County
Upholsterers pay in Louisville/Jefferson County tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 41.9% 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. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for upholsterers in metros near Louisville/Jefferson County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Springfield | $38K | $43K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $44K | $45K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $43K | $42K |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $46K | $50K |
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 upholsterers (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $11K spread from bottom to top.
Upholsterers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Upholsterers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $63K | +37% | 30 |
| Hawaii | $57K | +24% | 30 |
| Washington | $56K | +21% | 200 |
| North Dakota | $52K | +13% | N/A |
| Connecticut | $51K | +10% | 210 |
| Georgia | $51K | +10% | 780 |
| North Carolina | $51K | +9% | 4,050 |
| Maryland | $50K | +8% | 200 |
| Louisiana | $50K | +8% | 80 |
| Nevada | $50K | +8% | 220 |
| Delaware | $50K | +8% | 40 |
| Minnesota | $49K | +5% | 60 |
| California | $49K | +5% | 1,640 |
| Oregon | $49K | +5% | 250 |
| Massachusetts | $48K | +4% | 150 |
| New York | $47K | +2% | 480 |
| Wisconsin | $47K | +1% | 260 |
| Indiana | $45K | -3% | 1,400 |
| Mississippi | $45K | -3% | 2,410 |
| Michigan | $45K | -3% | 500 |
| Utah | $45K | -4% | 90 |
| Arkansas | $44K | -6% | 210 |
| Kansas | $43K | -7% | 260 |
| Texas | $43K | -7% | 710 |
| Pennsylvania | $43K | -8% | 280 |
| New Jersey | $43K | -8% | 410 |
| Iowa | $43K | -8% | 80 |
| Illinois | $42K | -8% | 250 |
| Colorado | $42K | -9% | 160 |
| Arizona | $42K | -10% | 180 |
| Kentucky | $42K | -10% | 80 |
| Montana | $42K | -10% | 40 |
| Idaho | $40K | -14% | 190 |
| Ohio | $39K | -15% | 380 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -16% | 140 |
| Alabama | $38K | -17% | 120 |
| Tennessee | $38K | -18% | 460 |
| Oklahoma | $38K | -18% | 150 |
| Florida | $38K | -18% | 1,530 |
| Virginia | $32K | -31% | 340 |
| Missouri | $30K | -35% | N/A |
| Nebraska | $30K | -35% | 110 |
Showing 1–10 of 42 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track upholsterers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisville/Jefferson County numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a upholsterer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisville/Jefferson County?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 41.9% 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 $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for upholsterers in Louisville/Jefferson County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new upholsterers typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,319/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is upholsterer a high-paying job in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Louisville/Jefferson County compare to the national average for upholsterers?
Louisville/Jefferson County pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.07), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do upholsterers make in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?
The median is $45,090 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,650, and experienced upholsterers can clear $50,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Louisville/Jefferson County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,039/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 41.9% 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 upholsterers 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 upholsterers salary is worth about $48,447 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do upholsterers 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.