Cooks, Fast Food Salary in Lexington, KY
Cooks, Fast Food in the Lexington-Fayette, KY metro area earn a median $26,840 a year — 13% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $22,891 take-home, or $1,908 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, fast food salary in Lexington, KY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,074
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,664
- Medicare (1.45%)$389
- Kentucky income tax$822
- Take-home pay$22,891
Marginal rate: 10% federal + 3.50% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Fast Food pay by experience in Lexington, KY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $21,920 | $10.54 | $19,012 | $1,584 |
| 25th percentile | $22,650 | $10.89 | $19,587 | $1,632 |
| Median (50th) | $26,840 | $12.90 | $22,891 | $1,908 |
| 75th percentile | $27,890 | $13.41 | $23,719 | $1,977 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $30,510 | $14.67 | $25,745 | $2,145 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Kentucky resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $26,840 buys in Lexington, KY
Prices in Lexington, KY are 7.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 23% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, fast food's $22,891 take-home pay has the buying power of $24,643 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Lexington, KY has 2.6× the national concentration of cooks, fast food jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for cooks, fast food, adjusted for cost of living
Lexington, KY ranks #45 of 53 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $47,220 | $38,625 | $34,979 |
| 2 | Bakersfield, CA | $41,480 | $34,321 | $34,020 |
| 3 | Austin, TX | $38,560 | $33,163 | $33,817 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $44,030 | $37,558 | $33,796 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $46,670 | $38,217 | $33,056 |
| 6 | Riverside, CA | $42,480 | $35,072 | $32,949 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $42,210 | $34,869 | $32,689 |
| 8 | Fresno, CA | $39,620 | $32,925 | $32,230 |
| 45 | Lexington, KY | $26,840 | $22,891 | $24,643 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 53 metros →
About the job: cooks, fast food
Prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. Duties of these cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +0.6% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Cooks, Fast Food salaries elsewhere in Kentucky
- Louisville, KY — $26,990
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, fast food make in Lexington, KY?
The median cooks, fast food salary in the Lexington-Fayette, KY metro area is $26,840 a year, or about $12.90 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $22,650 and $27,890.
What is a cooks, fast food’s take-home pay in Lexington, KY?
On the median $26,840 salary, a single filer living in Kentucky takes home about $22,891 a year ($1,908 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $822 in Kentucky taxes in 2026.
Is Lexington, KY a good place to work as a cooks, fast food?
Pay here is 13% below the national median of $30,890. Local prices are 7.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $24,643 would in a typical U.S. city. Lexington, KY ranks #45 of 53 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, fast food afford rent in Lexington, KY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Lexington, KY is $1,079 a month ($1,272 for two bedrooms) — 57% of a median cooks, fast food’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Lexington, KY
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $36,350
- Waiter and Waitress — $34,910
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,990