Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Jackson, TN
Cooks, Restaurant in the Jackson, TN metro area earn a median $35,490 a year — 5% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,696 take-home, or $2,558 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Jackson, TN. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,079
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,200
- Medicare (1.45%)$515
- Tennessee income tax$0
- Take-home pay$30,696
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Jackson, TN
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,450 | $13.20 | $24,215 | $2,018 |
| 25th percentile | $29,520 | $14.19 | $25,899 | $2,158 |
| Median (50th) | $35,490 | $17.06 | $30,696 | $2,558 |
| 75th percentile | $37,900 | $18.22 | $32,633 | $2,719 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $43,590 | $20.96 | $37,205 | $3,100 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Tennessee resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $35,490 buys in Jackson, TN
Prices in Jackson, TN are 14.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 43% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $30,696 take-home pay has the buying power of $35,893 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 less concentrated in Jackson, TN than nationally (location quotient 0.64), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Jackson, TN ranks #18 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 |
| 18 | Jackson, TN | $35,490 | $30,696 | $35,893 |
*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 Tennessee
- Kingsport, TN — $34,600
- Johnson City, TN — $34,620
- Nashville, TN — $38,170
- Knoxville, TN — $36,520
- Memphis, TN — $36,340
- Chattanooga, TN — $36,010
- Clarksville, TN — $34,840
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Jackson, TN?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Jackson, TN metro area is $35,490 a year, or about $17.06 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $29,520 and $37,900.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Jackson, TN?
On the median $35,490 salary, a single filer living in Tennessee takes home about $30,696 a year ($2,558 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Jackson, TN a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 5% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 14.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $35,893 would in a typical U.S. city. Jackson, TN ranks #18 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Jackson, TN?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Jackson, TN is $880 a month ($1,153 for two bedrooms) — 34% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Jackson, TN
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $36,660
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $35,110
- Food Preparation Worker — $26,970
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $26,360
- Waiter and Waitress — $20,490