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What does a Fast Food and Counter Workers salary really buy you in North Carolina?
North Carolina is 5.8% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
North Carolina's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 94.2, meaning prices are 5.8% lower the national average. A Fast Food and Counter Workers earning $28,570 in North Carolina has the equivalent purchasing power of $30,329 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for North Carolina's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $21,800 | $23,142 | +$1,342 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $23,370 | $24,808 | +$1,438 |
| Median (P50) | $28,570 | $30,329 | +$1,759 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $34,370 | $36,486 | +$2,116 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $36,820 | $39,087 | +$2,267 |
A Fast Food and Counter Workers in North Carolina earns $28,570 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 6% further — like earning $30,329 in an average-cost state. This makes North Carolina one of the best value states for this occupation.
With an RPP of 94.2, North Carolina is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Fast Food and Counter Workers is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After applying North Carolina's RPP, the $28,570 median salary translates to $30,329 in real terms — a 6.2% gain. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Fast Food and Counter Workers.
North Carolina's rank of #35 of 51 states means real purchasing power for Fast Food and Counter Workers trails the national half-way line.
Where does Fast Food and Counter Workers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
North Carolina ranks #35 out of 51 states for Fast Food and Counter Workers after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Fast Food and Counter Workers take-home pay in North Carolina after taxes →
A Fast Food and Counter Workers in North Carolina earns a median salary of $28,570 per year. After adjusting for North Carolina's cost of living (RPP=94.2), the real purchasing power is $30,329 — a +6.2% difference.
North Carolina's cost of living is 5.8% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for North Carolina is 94.2 (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 Fast Food and Counter Workers in North Carolina: $28,570 x (100 / 94.2) = $30,329. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Fast Food and Counter Workers in North Carolina enjoys 6.2% 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.
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