Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Florence, AL
Cooks, Restaurant in the Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL metro area earn a median $30,350 a year — 19% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $25,314 take-home, or $2,109 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Florence, AL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,462
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,882
- Medicare (1.45%)$440
- Alabama income tax$1,253
- Take-home pay$25,314
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Florence, AL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $22,200 | $10.67 | $19,047 | $1,587 |
| 25th percentile | $27,880 | $13.40 | $23,440 | $1,953 |
| Median (50th) | $30,350 | $14.59 | $25,314 | $2,109 |
| 75th percentile | $35,130 | $16.89 | $28,915 | $2,410 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $36,820 | $17.70 | $30,189 | $2,516 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Alabama resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $30,350 buys in Florence, AL
Prices in Florence, AL are 15.2% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 52% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $25,314 take-home pay has the buying power of $29,845 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Cooks, Restaurant jobs are about as common in Florence, AL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.16).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Florence, AL ranks #269 of 327 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yakima, WA | $44,390 | $37,847 | $39,612 |
| 2 | Mount Vernon, WA | $46,450 | $39,503 | $38,561 |
| 3 | Kennewick, WA | $45,280 | $38,562 | $38,532 |
| 4 | Barnstable Town, MA | $46,930 | $37,762 | $38,395 |
| 5 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 6 | Bremerton, WA | $46,460 | $39,511 | $37,413 |
| 7 | Bellingham, WA | $45,370 | $38,635 | $37,388 |
| 8 | Pittsfield, MA | $43,970 | $35,531 | $37,360 |
| 269 | Florence, AL | $30,350 | $25,314 | $29,845 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 327 metros →
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in Alabama
- Huntsville, AL — $35,520
- Mobile, AL — $33,030
- Birmingham, AL — $34,340
- Montgomery, AL — $33,070
- Dothan, AL — $29,710
- Daphne, AL — $33,850
- Tuscaloosa, AL — $30,690
- Auburn, AL — $30,580
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Florence, AL?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL metro area is $30,350 a year, or about $14.59 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $27,880 and $35,130.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Florence, AL?
On the median $30,350 salary, a single filer living in Alabama takes home about $25,314 a year ($2,109 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,253 in Alabama taxes in 2026.
Is Florence, AL a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 19% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 15.2% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $29,845 would in a typical U.S. city. Florence, AL ranks #269 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Florence, AL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Florence, AL is $775 a month ($1,000 for two bedrooms) — 37% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Florence, AL
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $35,630
- Food Preparation Worker — $27,410
- Cooks, Fast Food — $26,820
- Waiter and Waitress — $25,990
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $22,590