How much do Food Preparation Workers make in Punta Gorda, FL?

Percentile spread

For Food Preparation Workers, the published 10th percentile is $28,170 and the 90th percentile is $42,560. The difference is $14,390, which is 39.6% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $31,530 to the 75th at $37,560, covers $6,030.

The mean annual wage is $35,440, which sits below the median of $36,310. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Punta Gorda, FL median is 2.8% higher than the national median of $35,320 for Food Preparation Workers. In 2024 national prices the local median is $36,120, which is 2.3% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 1.1% higher than the Florida median of $35,920.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Punta Gorda, FL is 100.525, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $36,310 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Food Preparation Workers at $36,120 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

16 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Food Preparation Workers. Punta Gorda, FL ranks 6th of 17 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL is 24 miles away, with a median of $36,560 and employment of 2,460. That median is 0.7% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $35,721, against $36,120 here.
• North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL is 39 miles away, with a median of $37,320 and employment of 3,480. That median is 2.8% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $36,439, against $36,120 here.
• Sebring, FL is 51 miles away, with a median of $32,330 and employment of 230. That median is 11% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $34,963, against $36,120 here.

Employment share

Food Preparation Workers accounts for 1.3% of wage-and-salary employment in Punta Gorda, FL (760 of 57,530). Nationally the occupation is 0.57% of employment (893,600 of 155,495,730). The local share is 2.30 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.