What is the best state to be a cooks, fast food?

By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Hawaii is the best state for a cooks, fast food: a BLS median of $48,120 is worth $41,811 after the 2025 state income tax ($2,149) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 110.0), an index of 131.5 where the average state is 100.

Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?

Not necessarily. Hawaii has the highest headline BLS median for a cooks, fast food at $48,120, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 131.5). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.

Where does a cooks, fast food salary go least far?

Kentucky ranks last of 51 states for a cooks, fast food: a $23,500 BLS median is worth only $25,168 after tax and cost of living (index 79.1). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Cooks, Fast Food

Best States to Be a Cooks, Fast Food

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a cooks, fast food salary goes furthest in Hawaii — a $48,120 BLS median worth $41,811 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 131.5).

Which US states are best for a cooks, fast food after cost of living and tax?

For a cooks, fast food, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Hawaii #1: a $48,120 BLS median becomes $41,811 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 131.5). Kentucky ranks last ($25,168, index 79.1). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Hawaii ranks #1 of 51 states for a cooks, fast food. Index 100 = the average state; 131.5 means pay goes 31.5% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

131.5

Cooks, Fast Food — real pay by state (best first)

#	State	BLS median	State tax	Cost (RPP)	Real pay	Index
1	Hawaii	$48,120	$2,149	110.0	$41,811	131.5
2	District of Columbia	$44,670	$1,580	109.9	$39,208	123.3
3	Vermont	$38,230	$862	98.0	$38,147	120.0
4	California	$42,050	$694	110.7	$37,352	117.5
5	New Hampshire	$38,590	—	104.2	$37,047	116.5
6	Washington	$39,120	—	107.0	$36,556	115.0
7	Maine	$36,350	$940	97.0	$36,487	114.7
8	South Dakota	$30,950	—	88.6	$34,938	109.9
9	Colorado	$36,900	$964	103.1	$34,872	109.7
10	Massachusetts	$37,870	$1,674	105.8	$34,226	107.6
11	Oregon	$37,880	$2,511	103.4	$34,219	107.6
12	North Dakota	$30,220	—	89.0	$33,971	106.8
13	Nevada	$33,840	—	100.0	$33,847	106.4
14	Rhode Island	$35,230	$721	102.3	$33,740	106.1
15	Minnesota	$34,120	$1,026	98.6	$33,557	105.5
16	Illinois	$34,960	$1,589	100.0	$33,385	105.0
17	Alaska	$33,960	—	102.4	$33,177	104.3
18	Nebraska	$30,430	$553	90.1	$33,159	104.3
19	Connecticut	$34,980	$649	103.6	$33,135	104.2
20	Missouri	$29,890	$524	90.8	$32,335	101.7
21	New Mexico	$30,190	$393	92.2	$32,314	101.6
22	Arizona	$32,660	$342	100.7	$32,101	101.0
23	New York	$35,770	$1,362	107.9	$31,882	100.3
24	Idaho	$31,070	$649	95.5	$31,856	100.2
25	Iowa	$28,510	$1,043	87.8	$31,297	98.4
26	Wyoming	$28,950	—	92.7	$31,233	98.2
27	Indiana	$29,870	$866	93.3	$31,077	97.7
28	Kansas	$28,640	$826	90.1	$30,882	97.1
29	Arkansas	$27,710	$872	86.9	$30,870	97.1
30	Tennessee	$28,330	—	91.9	$30,837	97.0
31	Delaware	$31,840	$1,090	99.8	$30,809	96.9
32	Utah	$31,800	$1,447	98.9	$30,702	96.6
33	Oklahoma	$27,720	$779	87.8	$30,669	96.4
34	Maryland	$33,320	$1,250	105.0	$30,555	96.1
35	Wisconsin	$28,920	$513	94.1	$30,190	94.9
36	Alabama	$27,870	$1,129	88.8	$30,107	94.7
37	Michigan	$29,460	$1,006	96.2	$29,573	93.0
38	New Jersey	$32,220	$476	108.8	$29,175	91.7
39	Texas	$28,280	—	97.1	$29,138	91.6
40	South Carolina	$27,420	$266	93.7	$28,965	91.1
41	Ohio	$26,870	—	92.8	$28,963	91.1
42	Florida	$29,900	—	103.4	$28,913	90.9
43	Virginia	$29,950	$922	101.1	$28,711	90.3
44	Pennsylvania	$28,810	$884	97.6	$28,620	90.0
45	North Carolina	$27,190	$614	94.3	$28,175	88.6
46	Louisiana	$24,960	$374	88.2	$27,873	87.7
47	Montana	$26,770	$553	94.6	$27,700	87.1
48	Georgia	$26,940	$805	96.3	$27,141	85.4
49	Mississippi	$22,670	$192	87.0	$25,850	81.3
50	West Virginia	$23,120	$551	89.5	$25,217	79.3
51	Kentucky	$23,500	$809	90.2	$25,168	79.1

"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Hawaii, a $48,120 salary is worth about $38,951 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $5,293 (≈ top marginal 11.00% (upper bound)) · take-home $42,827 · BEA cost of living 110.0 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $54,320, a $15,369 gain over Hawaii.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$54,320	88.6
2	Arkansas	$53,192	86.9
3	Louisiana	$52,917	88.2
4	Mississippi	$52,905	87.0
5	Iowa	$52,747	87.8
6	North Dakota	$52,740	89.0
7	Tennessee	$52,378	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$52,178	87.8
9	Wyoming	$51,914	92.7
10	Alabama	$51,466	88.8
11	Kentucky	$51,237	90.2
12	West Virginia	$51,176	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Cooks, Fast Food — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a cooks, fast food?: By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Hawaii is the best state for a cooks, fast food: a BLS median of $48,120 is worth $41,811 after the 2025 state income tax ($2,149) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 110.0), an index of 131.5 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?: Not necessarily. Hawaii has the highest headline BLS median for a cooks, fast food at $48,120, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 131.5). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a cooks, fast food salary go least far?: Kentucky ranks last of 51 states for a cooks, fast food: a $23,500 BLS median is worth only $25,168 after tax and cost of living (index 79.1). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a cooks, fast food is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.