What does a Cooks, Fast Food salary really buy you in Ohio?
Ohio is 8.5% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Ohio's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 91.5, meaning prices are 8.5% lower the national average. A Cooks, Fast Food earning $26,520 in Ohio has the equivalent purchasing power of $28,983 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Ohio's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $21,740 | $23,759 | +$2,019 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $23,350 | $25,519 | +$2,169 |
| Median (P50) | $26,520 | $28,983 | +$2,463 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $30,180 | $32,983 | +$2,803 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $34,070 | $37,234 | +$3,164 |
A Cooks, Fast Food in Ohio earns $26,520 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 9% further — like earning $28,983 in an average-cost state. This makes Ohio one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Cooks, Fast Food salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Ohio ranks #37 out of 50 states for Cooks, Fast Food after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Cooks, Fast Food in Ohio earns a median salary of $26,520 per year. After adjusting for Ohio's cost of living (RPP=91.5), the real purchasing power is $28,983 — a +9.3% difference.
Ohio's cost of living is 8.5% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Ohio is 91.5 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Cooks, Fast Food in Ohio: $26,520 x (100 / 91.5) = $28,983. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Cooks, Fast Food in Ohio enjoys 9.3% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.