Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Visalia, CA
Cooks, Restaurant in the Visalia, CA metro area earn a median $37,090 a year — 1% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,027 take-home, or $2,586 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Visalia, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,271
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,300
- Medicare (1.45%)$538
- California income tax$473
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$482
- Take-home pay$31,027
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Visalia, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,660 | $16.66 | $29,203 | $2,434 |
| 25th percentile | $36,260 | $17.43 | $30,404 | $2,534 |
| Median (50th) | $37,090 | $17.83 | $31,027 | $2,586 |
| 75th percentile | $43,580 | $20.95 | $35,897 | $2,991 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,870 | $22.05 | $37,616 | $3,135 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $37,090 buys in Visalia, CA
Prices in Visalia, CA are 0.2% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 16% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $31,027 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,081 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 Visalia, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.64), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Visalia, CA ranks #221 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 |
| 221 | Visalia, CA | $37,090 | $31,027 | $31,081 |
*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 California
- San Jose, CA — $47,170
- Santa Rosa, CA — $45,720
- Napa, CA — $47,320
- Sacramento, CA — $44,230
- San Diego, CA — $46,440
- Salinas, CA — $44,930
- Vallejo, CA — $44,100
- Santa Cruz, CA — $44,560
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Visalia, CA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Visalia, CA metro area is $37,090 a year, or about $17.83 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,260 and $43,580.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Visalia, CA?
On the median $37,090 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $31,027 a year ($2,586 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $955 in California taxes in 2026.
Is Visalia, CA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 1% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 0.2% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,081 would in a typical U.S. city. Visalia, CA ranks #221 of 327 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Visalia, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Visalia, CA is $1,123 a month ($1,474 for two bedrooms) — 43% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Visalia, CA
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $45,370
- Cooks, Fast Food — $39,750
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $38,600
- Food Preparation Worker — $37,020
- Dishwasher — $34,750
- Waiter and Waitress — $34,320