Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Fast Food and Counter Worker Salary in Macon, GA

Fast Food and Counter Workers in the Macon-Bibb County, GA metro area earn a median $25,000 a year — 20% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $21,523 take-home, or $1,794 a month.

Median salary
$25,000
$12.02 per hour
Typical range
$19,830 – $31,380
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Macon, GA
2,920
1.24× national concentration
▲9.1%
Pay trend: The median for fast food and counter workers in Macon, GA rose from $22,920 (May 2024) to $25,000 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 6.7%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median fast food and counter worker salary in Macon, GA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Fast Food and Counter Worker in Macon, GA
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$21,523
per year · effective tax rate 13.9%
$1,794Monthly
$897Twice a month
$828Every 2 weeks
$10.35Hourly
  • Federal income tax$890
  • Social Security (6.2%)$1,550
  • Medicare (1.45%)$363
  • Georgia income tax$675
  • Take-home pay$21,523

Marginal rate: 10% federal + 5.19% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Fast Food and Counter Worker pay by experience in Macon, GA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$19,830$9.53$17,534$1,461
25th percentile$22,150$10.65$19,324$1,610
Median (50th)$25,000$12.02$21,523$1,794
75th percentile$27,980$13.45$23,822$1,985
90th percentile (top earners)$31,380$15.09$26,388$2,199

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Georgia resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $25,000 buys in Macon, GA

Prices in Macon, GA are 11.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 41% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median fast food and counter worker's $21,523 take-home pay has the buying power of $24,312 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,145
64% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,291
72% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$649
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Macon, GA has 1.2× the national concentration of fast food and counter worker jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.

Best-paying cities for fast food and counter workers, adjusted for cost of living

Macon, GA ranks #212 of 241 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Modesto, CA $42,630$35,184$33,796
2Vallejo, CA $44,110$36,295$33,458
3Santa Rosa, CA $43,610$35,920$33,326
4San Jose, CA $44,570$36,640$33,182
5Sacramento, CA $42,860$35,357$33,146
6Stockton, CA $41,740$34,517$32,845
7Riverside, CA $42,280$34,922$32,808
8Salinas, CA $43,260$35,657$32,701
212Macon, GA$25,000$21,523$24,312

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 241 metros →

About the job: fast food and counter workers

Perform duties such as taking orders and serving food and beverages. Serve customers at counter or from a steam table. May take payment. May prepare food and beverages. Counter attendants who also wait tables are included in "Waiters and Waitresses" (35-3031),

Typical education
No formal educational credential
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Job outlook, 2025–35
+5.8% (faster than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Fast Food and Counter Worker salaries elsewhere in Georgia

Frequently asked questions

How much does a fast food and counter worker make in Macon, GA?

The median fast food and counter worker salary in the Macon-Bibb County, GA metro area is $25,000 a year, or about $12.02 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $22,150 and $27,980.

What is a fast food and counter worker’s take-home pay in Macon, GA?

On the median $25,000 salary, a single filer living in Georgia takes home about $21,523 a year ($1,794 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $675 in Georgia taxes in 2026.

Is Macon, GA a good place to work as a fast food and counter worker?

Pay here is 20% below the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 11.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $24,312 would in a typical U.S. city. Macon, GA ranks #212 of 241 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a fast food and counter worker afford rent in Macon, GA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Macon, GA is $1,145 a month ($1,291 for two bedrooms) — 64% of a median fast food and counter worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

Cost of living & all salaries in Macon, GA →