Pay vs cost of living
How far does a Food Servers, Nonrestaurant's pay go, state by state?
A Food Servers, Nonrestaurant's pay leaves the most room in North Dakota — about $2,196/mo take-home against $911/mo typical rent — and the least in Utah.
| State | Est. take-home | Typical rent | Rent share |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $2,196/mo | $911/mo | 41% |
| South Dakota | $2,082/mo | $910/mo | 44% |
| Maine | $2,150/mo | $1,104/mo | 51% |
| Kentucky | $1,938/mo | $918/mo | 47% |
| Wisconsin | $2,048/mo | $1,033/mo | 50% |
| Wyoming | $1,990/mo | $979/mo | 49% |
| Minnesota | $2,213/mo | $1,230/mo | 56% |
| Iowa | $1,908/mo | $932/mo | 49% |
| West Virginia | $1,804/mo | $848/mo | 47% |
| Montana | $1,975/mo | $1,031/mo | 52% |
| Vermont | $2,151/mo | $1,207/mo | 56% |
| Michigan | $1,986/mo | $1,072/mo | 54% |
| Ohio | $1,895/mo | $986/mo | 52% |
| Indiana | $1,922/mo | $1,022/mo | 53% |
| Nebraska | $1,910/mo | $1,017/mo | 53% |
| Arkansas | $1,750/mo | $903/mo | 52% |
| Illinois | $2,076/mo | $1,246/mo | 60% |
| Alaska | $2,186/mo | $1,361/mo | 62% |
| Missouri | $1,818/mo | $997/mo | 55% |
| Pennsylvania | $1,994/mo | $1,176/mo | 59% |
| Oregon | $2,243/mo | $1,431/mo | 64% |
| New Mexico | $1,845/mo | $1,034/mo | 56% |
| Connecticut | $2,283/mo | $1,483/mo | 65% |
| Rhode Island | $2,087/mo | $1,289/mo | 62% |
| Arizona | $2,215/mo | $1,419/mo | 64% |
| New York | $2,399/mo | $1,621/mo | 68% |
| New Hampshire | $2,191/mo | $1,424/mo | 65% |
| South Carolina | $1,898/mo | $1,131/mo | 60% |
| North Carolina | $1,913/mo | $1,147/mo | 60% |
| Tennessee | $1,874/mo | $1,111/mo | 59% |
| Alabama | $1,728/mo | $967/mo | 56% |
| Washington | $2,364/mo | $1,641/mo | 69% |
| Idaho | $1,873/mo | $1,163/mo | 62% |
| Colorado | $2,367/mo | $1,659/mo | 70% |
| Louisiana | $1,726/mo | $1,028/mo | 60% |
| Georgia | $1,938/mo | $1,320/mo | 68% |
| Massachusetts | $2,325/mo | $1,716/mo | 74% |
| Nevada | $2,064/mo | $1,478/mo | 72% |
| New Jersey | $2,230/mo | $1,656/mo | 74% |
| Delaware | $1,889/mo | $1,321/mo | 70% |
| Oklahoma | $1,537/mo | $970/mo | 63% |
| Mississippi | $1,487/mo | $933/mo | 63% |
| Kansas | $1,552/mo | $1,025/mo | 66% |
| District of Columbia | $2,423/mo | $1,900/mo | 78% |
| Maryland | $2,202/mo | $1,683/mo | 76% |
| Virginia | $1,985/mo | $1,547/mo | 78% |
| California | $2,391/mo | $1,969/mo | 82% |
| Texas | $1,750/mo | $1,328/mo | 76% |
| Florida | $1,962/mo | $1,542/mo | 79% |
| Hawaii | $2,318/mo | $1,927/mo | 83% |
| Utah | $1,755/mo | $1,396/mo | 80% |
Take-home is that state's BLS OEWS 2023 median wage after a rough ~22% tax estimate — a ballpark, not a real paycheck. Rent is population-weighted Census gross rent (utilities included). Neither includes state taxes, insurance, or the cost of moving.