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

Fast Food and Counter Worker Salary in Youngstown, OH

Fast Food and Counter Workers in the Youngstown-Warren, OH metro area earn a median $26,950 a year — 14% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $23,803 take-home, or $1,984 a month.

Median salary
$26,950
$12.96 per hour
Typical range
$22,400 – $32,820
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Youngstown, OH
6,460
1.63× national concentration
▼1.1%
Pay trend: The median for fast food and counter workers in Youngstown, OH fell from $27,260 (May 2024) to $26,950 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 3.5%.

Take-home pay calculator

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

Fast Food and Counter Worker in Youngstown, OH
Deductions, kids & local tax

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

Your take-home pay
$23,803
per year · effective tax rate 11.7%
$1,984Monthly
$992Twice a month
$916Every 2 weeks
$11.44Hourly
  • Federal income tax$1,085
  • Social Security (6.2%)$1,671
  • Medicare (1.45%)$391
  • Ohio income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$23,803

Marginal rate: 10% federal + 0.00% state

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

Fast Food and Counter Worker pay by experience in Youngstown, OH

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$22,400$10.77$20,056$1,671
25th percentile$23,370$11.24$20,855$1,738
Median (50th)$26,950$12.96$23,803$1,984
75th percentile$27,890$13.41$24,577$2,048
90th percentile (top earners)$32,820$15.78$28,431$2,369

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

What $26,950 buys in Youngstown, OH

Prices in Youngstown, OH are 12.6% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 47% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median fast food and counter worker's $23,803 take-home pay has the buying power of $27,237 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$771
39% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$973
49% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$1,213
per month for everything else

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

Youngstown, OH has 1.6× 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

Youngstown, OH ranks #86 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
86Youngstown, OH$26,950$23,803$27,237

*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 Ohio

Frequently asked questions

How much does a fast food and counter worker make in Youngstown, OH?

The median fast food and counter worker salary in the Youngstown-Warren, OH metro area is $26,950 a year, or about $12.96 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $23,370 and $27,890.

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

On the median $26,950 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $23,803 a year ($1,984 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.

Is Youngstown, OH a good place to work as a fast food and counter worker?

Pay here is 14% below the national median of $31,200. Local prices are 12.6% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $27,237 would in a typical U.S. city. Youngstown, OH ranks #86 of 241 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a fast food and counter worker afford rent in Youngstown, OH?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Youngstown, OH is $771 a month ($973 for two bedrooms) — 39% of a median fast food and counter worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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