Best cities for a food prep
The best cities for food preps are San Antonio, TX, Arlington, TX, and Toledo, OH, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for food preps vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for food preps in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a food prep or considering a move, this list of the best cities for food preps to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for food preps. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a food prep. While the absolute best city for food preps is San Antonio, TX, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for food preps in 2024.
If you're looking for a food prep job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for food preps in 2026
1. San Antonio, TX
Food prep jobs in San AntonioTotal food prep jobs: 17 Average annual salary: $25,580 Lowest 10 percent warn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location quotient: 1.18 2. Arlington, TX
Food prep jobs in ArlingtonTotal food prep jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $25,588 Lowest 10 percent warn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location quotient: 0.85 3. Toledo, OH
Food prep jobs in ToledoTotal food prep jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $22,707 Lowest 10 percent warn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Location quotient: 1.38 4. Austin, TX
Food prep jobs in AustinTotal food prep jobs: 26 Average annual salary: $25,569 Lowest 10 percent warn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location quotient: 0.80 5. Lexington, KY
Food prep jobs in LexingtonTotal food prep jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $23,171 Lowest 10 percent warn: $16,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Location quotient: 1.32 6. Cleveland, OH
Food prep jobs in ClevelandTotal food prep jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $22,855 Lowest 10 percent warn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Location quotient: 1.16 7. El Paso, TX
Food prep jobs in El PasoTotal food prep jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $25,774 Lowest 10 percent warn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location quotient: 0.36 8. Nashville, TN
Food prep jobs in NashvilleTotal food prep jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $22,924 Lowest 10 percent warn: $16,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Location quotient: 0.78 9. Dallas, TX
Food prep jobs in DallasTotal food prep jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $25,587 Lowest 10 percent warn: $17,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location quotient: 0.37 10. Hempstead, NY
Food prep jobs in HempsteadTotal food prep jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $28,101 Lowest 10 percent warn: $21,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Location quotient: 18.48
Choose from 10+ customizable food prep resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use food prep resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your food prep resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for food preps
- San Antonio, TX
- Arlington, TX
- Toledo, OH
- Austin, TX
- Lexington, KY
- Cleveland, OH
- El Paso, TX
- Nashville, TN
- Dallas, TX
- Hempstead, NY
Detailed list of the best cities for a food prep
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Antonio, TX | $25,580 | $17,000 | 1,492,510 | 17 |
| 2 | Arlington, TX | $25,588 | $17,000 | 392,772 | 2 |
| 3 | Toledo, OH | $22,707 | $17,000 | 278,508 | 3 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $25,569 | $17,000 | 947,890 | 26 |
| 5 | Lexington, KY | $23,171 | $16,000 | 318,449 | 4 |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $22,855 | $17,000 | 385,809 | 9 |
| 7 | El Paso, TX | $25,774 | $17,000 | 683,080 | 1 |
| 8 | Nashville, TN | $22,924 | $16,000 | 660,388 | 10 |
| 9 | Dallas, TX | $25,587 | $17,000 | 1,317,929 | 11 |
| 10 | Hempstead, NY | $28,101 | $21,000 | 759,757 | 3 |
| 11 | Tucson, AZ | $24,088 | $16,000 | 530,706 | 12 |
| 12 | Colorado Springs, CO | $25,673 | $18,000 | 465,101 | 14 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $25,689 | $19,000 | 639,863 | 33 |
| 14 | Scottsdale, AZ | $24,109 | $16,000 | 246,645 | 6 |
| 15 | Mesa, AZ | $24,103 | $16,000 | 484,587 | 3 |
| 16 | Cincinnati, OH | $22,414 | $16,000 | 298,800 | 6 |
| 17 | Seattle, WA | $27,465 | $20,000 | 704,352 | 22 |
| 18 | Anaheim, CA | $27,462 | $18,000 | 351,043 | 19 |
| 19 | Buffalo, NY | $28,132 | $21,000 | 256,902 | 5 |
| 20 | Louisville, KY | $23,162 | $16,000 | 597,337 | 3 |
| 21 | Kansas City, MO | $24,308 | $17,000 | 481,420 | 5 |
| 22 | Aurora, CO | $25,668 | $18,000 | 361,710 | 7 |
| 23 | Irving, TX | $25,589 | $17,000 | 238,289 | 3 |
| 24 | Plano, TX | $25,591 | $17,000 | 286,057 | 2 |
| 25 | Houston, TX | $25,537 | $17,000 | 2,303,482 | 11 |
| 26 | Glendale, AZ | $24,144 | $16,000 | 245,895 | 1 |
| 27 | Indianapolis, IN | $22,847 | $16,000 | 855,164 | 9 |
| 28 | Pittsburgh, PA | $23,624 | $17,000 | 303,625 | 4 |
| 29 | Durham, NC | $22,074 | $15,000 | 263,016 | 11 |
| 30 | Laredo, TX | $25,669 | $17,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 31 | Lubbock, TX | $25,646 | $17,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 32 | Lincoln, NE | $23,429 | $17,000 | 280,364 | 2 |
| 33 | Corpus Christi, TX | $25,593 | $17,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 34 | Greensboro, NC | $22,058 | $15,000 | 287,027 | 5 |
| 35 | Fort Worth, TX | $25,590 | $17,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 36 | Garland, TX | $25,589 | $17,000 | 234,943 | - |
| 37 | Boston, MA | $32,273 | $26,000 | 673,184 | 5 |
| 38 | Philadelphia, PA | $24,541 | $18,000 | 1,567,872 | 2 |
| 39 | Detroit, MI | $22,322 | $16,000 | 672,795 | 5 |
| 40 | Raleigh, NC | $22,070 | $15,000 | 458,880 | 13 |
| 41 | Milwaukee, WI | $25,139 | $19,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 42 | Saint Louis, MO | $24,324 | $17,000 | 311,404 | 4 |
| 43 | Madison, WI | $25,063 | $19,000 | 252,551 | - |
| 44 | Albuquerque, NM | $23,712 | $16,000 | 559,277 | 2 |
| 45 | Memphis, TN | $22,893 | $16,000 | 652,717 | 1 |
| 46 | Phoenix, AZ | $24,134 | $16,000 | 1,615,017 | 10 |
| 47 | Denver, CO | $25,668 | $18,000 | 693,060 | 15 |
| 48 | Stockton, CA | $27,281 | $18,000 | 307,072 | 2 |
| 49 | Saint Paul, MN | $24,217 | $18,000 | 302,398 | 3 |
| 50 | Columbus, OH | $22,530 | $16,000 | 860,090 | 4 |
Highest paying cities for food preps
| Rank | City | Avg. food prep salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $32,273 |
| 2 | Hackensack, NJ | $29,460 |
| 3 | Portland, ME | $29,268 |
| 4 | Rochester, NY | $29,015 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | $27,492 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $27,465 |
| 7 | Columbia, MD | $26,965 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $25,689 |
| 9 | Colorado Springs, CO | $25,673 |
| 10 | Dallas, TX | $25,587 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $25,006 |
| 12 | Salt Lake City, UT | $24,640 |
| 13 | Columbia, MO | $24,318 |
| 14 | Rochester, MN | $24,177 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | $24,134 |
| 16 | Fargo, ND | $22,936 |
| 17 | Columbia, TN | $22,914 |
| 18 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $22,876 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $22,821 |
| 20 | Detroit, MI | $22,322 |
Food prep best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common food preparation and restaurant questions.
Search for food prep jobs
Updated January 8, 2025