Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
1 / 50#50. Coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Median annual wage: $32,570
- Median hourly wage: $15.66
- Total employment: 70 people (2.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Gadsden
Uncertainty clouds the current job market. On one hand, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports unemployment rates at 4.2% as of May 2025—and that hasn't changed much in the past year, a typical indicator of a positive economy. At the same time, average weekly earnings have increased by 3.9% over the 12 months ending May 2025 to reach $1,243.03.
However, the American economy may soon shift. The Trump administration's federal budget cuts have eliminated tens of thousands of jobs, and constant changes in import tariffs leave companies unable to plan for their future employment needs.
With these factors in mind, minimum or low-wage jobs are increasingly unsustainable for most. In 2025, a full-time job at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour puts a worker under the poverty threshold, according to the Economic Policy Institute. While states can opt to have higher minimum wages, 20 states are at or below the federal minimum as of 2025.
Salaries can also vary by gender, race, and educational attainment. According to a March 2025 report from the Pew Research Center, women's earnings are about 85% of men's, and women also remain overrepresented in low-paying jobs. Meanwhile, April 2025 BLS data shows that Hispanic workers' median earnings lag behind those of other race and ethnicity groups, and full-time workers without a high school diploma earned the least compared to their more educated counterparts.
It's important to note, though, that low pay doesn't always equal low job satisfaction. Some people feel drawn to a particular field, seek a certain work environment, or aim for work-life balance. No matter the reason, Stacker used BLS data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in Gadsden. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2024, so any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
You may also like: Highest-rated cheap eats in Gadsden by diners
Lee Charlie // Shutterstock
2 / 50#49. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Median annual wage: $32,480
- Median hourly wage: $15.62
- Total employment: 50 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Median annual wage: $32,010
- Median hourly wage: $15.39
- Total employment: 450 people (13.63 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $31,580
- Median hourly wage: $15.18
- Total employment: 530 people (15.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $31,480
- Median hourly wage: $15.14
- Total employment: 740 people (22.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Gadsden 7-day weather forecast
Syda Productions // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Tellers
- Median annual wage: $31,310
- Median hourly wage: $15.05
- Total employment: 120 people (3.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Milkovasa // Shutterstock
7 / 50#44. Medical assistants
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 430 people (12.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $30,490
- Median hourly wage: $14.66
- Total employment: 500 people (14.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $30,300
- Median hourly wage: $14.57
- Total employment: 90 people (2.77 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $30,160
- Median hourly wage: $14.50
- Total employment: 190 people (5.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Closest national parks to Gadsden
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Security guards
- Median annual wage: $30,070
- Median hourly wage: $14.46
- Total employment: 120 people (3.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
12 / 50#39. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $29,570
- Median hourly wage: $14.21
- Total employment: 580 people (17.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DuxX // Shutterstock
13 / 50#38. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $29,530
- Median hourly wage: $14.20
- Total employment: 60 people (1.94 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $29,500
- Median hourly wage: $14.18
- Total employment: 80 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Office clerks, general
- Median annual wage: $29,060
- Median hourly wage: $13.97
- Total employment: 250 people (7.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Biggest sources of immigrants to Gadsden
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
16 / 50#35. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $28,430
- Median hourly wage: $13.67
- Total employment: 100 people (2.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paolo Bona // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $28,230
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 360 people (10.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
18 / 50#33. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $28,120
- Median hourly wage: $13.52
- Total employment: 180 people (5.37 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
worradirek // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Helpers--production workers
- Median annual wage: $28,030
- Median hourly wage: $13.47
- Total employment: 260 people (7.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Kzenon // Shutterstock
20 / 50#31. Self-enrichment teachers
- Median annual wage: $28,020
- Median hourly wage: $13.47
- Total employment: 30 people (1.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated steak restaurants in the Gadsden area by diners
Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,970
- Median hourly wage: $13.45
- Total employment: 40 people (1.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
DSBfoto // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $27,310
- Median hourly wage: $13.13
- Total employment: 340 people (10.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
23 / 50#28. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $27,250
- Median hourly wage: $13.10
- Total employment: 1,100 people (33.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $26,770
- Median hourly wage: $12.87
- Total employment: 140 people (4.24 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Median annual wage: $26,220
- Median hourly wage: $12.61
- Total employment: 50 people (1.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated campgrounds in the Gadsden area by visitors
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $25,580
- Median hourly wage: $12.30
- Total employment: 60 people (1.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $24,610
- Median hourly wage: $11.83
- Total employment: 130 people (3.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $24,350
- Median hourly wage: $11.71
- Total employment: 420 people (12.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Median annual wage: $24,320
- Median hourly wage: $11.69
- Total employment: 290 people (8.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
30 / 50#21. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $24,240
- Median hourly wage: $11.65
- Total employment: 200 people (6.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated pizza restaurants in the Gadsden area by diners
SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock
31 / 50#20. Packers and packagers, hand
- Median annual wage: $24,170
- Median hourly wage: $11.62
- Total employment: 270 people (8.21 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
32 / 50#19. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $23,990
- Median hourly wage: $11.54
- Total employment: 80 people (2.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Vasin Lee // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Residential advisors
- Median annual wage: $23,770
- Median hourly wage: $11.43
- Total employment: 40 people (1.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $23,610
- Median hourly wage: $11.35
- Total employment: 130 people (3.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Cashiers
- Median annual wage: $23,300
- Median hourly wage: $11.20
- Total employment: 960 people (29.13 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in Gadsden by diners
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $22,610
- Median hourly wage: $10.87
- Total employment: 330 people (9.84 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
37 / 50#14. Fast food and counter workers
- Median annual wage: $22,420
- Median hourly wage: $10.78
- Total employment: 640 people (19.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alena Veasey // Shutterstock
38 / 50#13. Cooks, fast food
- Median annual wage: $22,410
- Median hourly wage: $10.78
- Total employment: 590 people (17.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $22,100
- Median hourly wage: $10.63
- Total employment: 40 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock
40 / 50#11. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Median annual wage: $21,860
- Median hourly wage: $10.51
- Total employment: 210 people (6.5 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying management jobs for people in Gadsden
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Physical therapist aides
- Median annual wage: $21,720
- Median hourly wage: $10.44
- Total employment: 50 people (1.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
42 / 50#9. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Median annual wage: $21,470
- Median hourly wage: $10.32
- Total employment: 120 people (3.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
43 / 50#8. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $21,460
- Median hourly wage: $10.32
- Total employment: 560 people (16.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
44 / 50#7. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $21,340
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 180 people (5.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
santypan // Shutterstock
45 / 50#6. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $20,460
- Median hourly wage: $9.84
- Total employment: 80 people (2.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Gadsden that don't require a college degree
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock
46 / 50#5. Coaches and scouts
- Median annual wage: $20,370
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 40 people (1.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
47 / 50#4. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $20,220
- Median hourly wage: $9.72
- Total employment: 80 people (2.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
48 / 50#3. Childcare workers
- Median annual wage: $20,110
- Median hourly wage: $9.67
- Total employment: 60 people (1.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Median annual wage: $17,210
- Median hourly wage: $8.28
- Total employment: 80 people (2.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
50 / 50#1. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $16,230
- Median hourly wage: $7.81
- Total employment: Not available
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.
You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Gadsden in the last week
