Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Paducah, KY
Cooks, Restaurant in the Paducah, KY-IL metro area earn a median $31,200 a year — 17% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $26,275 take-home, or $2,190 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Paducah, KY. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$1,564
- Social Security (6.2%)$1,934
- Medicare (1.45%)$452
- Kentucky income tax$974
- Take-home pay$26,275
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.50% state
The Paducah, KY-IL metro spans Kentucky, Illinois. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Paducah, KY
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $26,770 | $12.87 | $22,836 | $1,903 |
| 25th percentile | $29,010 | $13.95 | $24,592 | $2,049 |
| Median (50th) | $31,200 | $15.00 | $26,275 | $2,190 |
| 75th percentile | $36,150 | $17.38 | $30,079 | $2,507 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $37,150 | $17.86 | $30,847 | $2,571 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Kentucky resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $31,200 buys in Paducah, KY
Prices in Paducah, KY are 13.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 51% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $26,275 take-home pay has the buying power of $30,522 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 Paducah, KY as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.07).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Paducah, KY ranks #253 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 |
| 253 | Paducah, KY | $31,200 | $26,275 | $30,522 |
*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 Kentucky
- Lexington, KY — $35,970
- Louisville, KY — $35,950
- Bowling Green, KY — $31,040
- Owensboro, KY — $30,010
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Paducah, KY?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Paducah, KY-IL metro area is $31,200 a year, or about $15.00 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $29,010 and $36,150.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Paducah, KY?
On the median $31,200 salary, a single filer living in Kentucky takes home about $26,275 a year ($2,190 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $974 in Kentucky taxes in 2026.
Is Paducah, KY a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 17% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 13.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $30,522 would in a typical U.S. city. Paducah, KY ranks #253 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Paducah, KY?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Paducah, KY is $843 a month ($1,049 for two bedrooms) — 39% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Paducah, KY
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $35,310
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $35,210
- Waiter and Waitress — $29,280
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,640
- Food Preparation Worker — $27,210