Lowest-paying jobs in Rome
The U.S. may be one of the wealthiest countries in the world but there’s a growing trend of financial inequality, with middle-class households feeling the most impact. In fact, the number of adults who live in middle-class households dropped from 61% in 1971 to 50% in 2021, according to an April 2022 analysis from Pew Research Center. On the other hand, the upper-income level rose from 14% to 21%. The declining middle class in the U.S. can be attributed to various factors including a decrease in unions and manufacturing jobs and an increased need for college-educated, tech-savvy employees.
The COVID-19 pandemic also played a major role in exposing the harsh financial gap as those who fell under the middle- and upper-income brackets were able to keep their jobs and/or work remotely. At the start of the pandemic in the U.S., workers who fell under the lower-income tier found themselves unemployed or having to be out of work, even if temporarily, as their place of employment was closed.
Those who worked in the leisure and hospitality industries were hit the hardest financially. In December 2020, employment in the hospitality industry was down by 23% compared to pre-pandemic levels in February 2020, an unemployment rate that surpassed other industries. Service employees such as housekeepers, food preparation workers, kitchen cooks, automobile glass installers, and animal caretakers were some of the lowest-paying jobs in the nation.
Stacker compiled a list of the lowest-paying jobs in Rome, GA, using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs are ranked by average annual salary with information up to date as of May 2021.
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#50. Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters
- Annual mean salary: $34,580
- #211 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,070
- Employment: 93,070
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($56,220)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,100)
--- Burlington-South Burlington, VT ($54,070)
#49. Office clerks, general
- Annual mean salary: $34,070
- #285 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,990
- Employment: 2,578,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($49,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($49,740)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($48,850)
#48. Pharmacy technicians
- Annual mean salary: $34,010
- #277 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $37,970
- Employment: 436,630
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($59,340)
--- Napa, CA ($58,620)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($58,390)
#47. Social and human service assistants
- Annual mean salary: $33,740
- #296 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,460
- Employment: 398,380
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($56,140)
--- Danbury, CT ($54,870)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,590)
#46. Helpers--production workers
- Annual mean salary: $33,680
- #144 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,910
- Employment: 202,860
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN ($48,190)
--- Pittsfield, MA ($43,910)
--- Reno, NV ($41,940)
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#45. Firefighters
- Annual mean salary: $33,640
- #314 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $55,290
- Employment: 317,310
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($114,210)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($98,150)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($97,470)
#44. Counter and rental clerks
- Annual mean salary: $33,460
- #187 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,170
- Employment: 371,620
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($48,760)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($47,080)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,760)
#43. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
- Annual mean salary: $33,450
- #361 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640
National
- Annual mean salary: $41,080
- Employment: 1,825,980
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($56,720)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,730)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($54,450)
#42. Customer service representatives
- Annual mean salary: $33,400
- #313 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 680
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,070
- Employment: 2,787,070
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($52,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($50,510)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($47,490)
#41. Tellers
- Annual mean salary: $33,360
- #207 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,930
- Employment: 364,210
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,040)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($43,490)
--- Napa, CA ($42,000)
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#40. Extruding and forming machine setters, operators, and tenders, synthetic and glass fibers
- Annual mean salary: $33,120
- #23 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,600
- Employment: 14,040
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Decatur, AL ($60,490)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($47,150)
--- Winston-Salem, NC ($45,210)

#39. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Annual mean salary: $33,040
- #324 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,150
- Employment: 1,040,600
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($52,950)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($52,140)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($50,430)
#38. Textile winding, twisting, and drawing out machine setters, operators, and tenders
- Annual mean salary: $32,940
- #10 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $33,050
- Employment: 22,160
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($36,660)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($36,340)
--- Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC ($35,630)

#37. Stockers and order fillers
- Annual mean salary: $32,520
- #136 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,270
National
- Annual mean salary: $33,020
- Employment: 2,451,430
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($42,240)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($41,960)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($40,620)
#36. File clerks
- Annual mean salary: $31,990
- #197 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,820
- Employment: 85,460
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($50,210)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($49,450)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($48,780)
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#35. Construction laborers
- Annual mean salary: $31,980
- #360 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,130
- Employment: 968,760
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI ($65,910)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($64,590)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($63,820)
#34. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Annual mean salary: $31,630
- #299 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750
National
- Annual mean salary: $34,950
- Employment: 2,729,010
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($44,210)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,230)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($42,590)
#33. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Annual mean salary: $31,330
- #311 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,520
- Employment: 159,790
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($45,950)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($45,550)
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($44,840)
#32. Receptionists and information clerks
- Annual mean salary: $30,660
- #204 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 320
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,910
- Employment: 983,150
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($44,680)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($41,290)
#31. Parts salespersons
- Annual mean salary: $30,480
- #355 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $36,920
- Employment: 265,130
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($48,330)
--- Danville, IL ($48,080)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($47,620)
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#30. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $29,780
- #325 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,240
- Employment: 892,450
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($47,650)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($47,240)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($44,830)

#29. Substitute teachers, short-term
- Annual mean salary: $29,530
- #212 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,410
- Employment: 374,620
- Entry level education requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Prescott, AZ ($64,310)
--- Appleton, WI ($63,310)
--- Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL ($58,770)
#28. Nursing assistants
- Annual mean salary: $27,710
- #324 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 910
National
- Annual mean salary: $33,250
- Employment: 1,314,830
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($47,690)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($47,500)
--- Salinas, CA ($44,210)
#26 (tie). Recreation workers
- Annual mean salary: $26,650
- #329 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,020
- Employment: 264,020
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($50,710)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($45,730)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($44,200)
#26 (tie). Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Annual mean salary: $26,650
- #276 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,550
- Employment: 351,960
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($40,840)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($38,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($38,780)
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#25. Cooks, restaurant
- Annual mean salary: $26,610
- #311 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,630
- Employment: 1,193,860
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($43,900)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,380)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($41,690)
#24. Retail salespersons
- Annual mean salary: $26,420
- #364 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,270
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,920
- Employment: 3,693,490
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($41,150)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($41,150)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($38,790)
#23. Bakers
- Annual mean salary: $26,300
- #294 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,300
- Employment: 181,800
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($41,850)
--- Chattanooga, TN-GA ($41,660)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($41,160)
#22. Physical therapist aides
- Annual mean salary: $26,130
- #139 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,370
- Employment: 42,390
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($45,060)
--- Jackson, MS ($42,210)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($40,510)
#21. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Annual mean salary: $25,980
- #321 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 590
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,860
- Employment: 2,036,680
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($42,030)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($41,240)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($41,150)
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#20. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Annual mean salary: $25,800
- #341 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,520
- Employment: 392,860
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($48,130)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($47,400)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($47,000)
#19. Driver/sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $25,030
- #356 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,970
- Employment: 477,020
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bismarck, ND ($48,560)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($46,390)
--- Fargo, ND-MN ($46,360)

#18. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Annual mean salary: $24,960
- #253 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,500
- Employment: 243,030
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Napa, CA ($46,270)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,930)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($43,400)
#17. Animal caretakers
- Annual mean salary: $24,920
- #304 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,520
- Employment: 225,680
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($40,460)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($39,720)
--- Salinas, CA ($37,420)
#16. Food preparation workers
- Annual mean salary: $24,010
- #326 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
National
- Annual mean salary: $28,810
- Employment: 783,350
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($39,950)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($39,230)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($38,340)
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#15. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Annual mean salary: $23,620
- #215 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $27,690
- Employment: 336,970
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($38,490)
--- Ithaca, NY ($38,170)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($37,910)
#14. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Annual mean salary: $23,320
- #250 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available
National
- Annual mean salary: $39,630
- Employment: 271,920
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- California-Lexington Park, MD ($57,040)
--- Lima, OH ($56,660)
--- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD ($50,510)
#13. Bus drivers, school
- Annual mean salary: $23,150
- #323 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 260
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,750
- Employment: 361,420
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Elkhart-Goshen, IN ($55,400)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($55,150)
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($53,770)
#12. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Annual mean salary: $22,960
- #299 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $28,040
- Employment: 220,380
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($52,150)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($48,900)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($39,910)

#11. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Annual mean salary: $22,880
- #350 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
National
- Annual mean salary: $31,760
- Employment: 1,187,270
- Entry level education requirements: Some college, no degree
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($46,390)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($45,080)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($42,820)
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#10. Dishwashers
- Annual mean salary: $22,740
- #292 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $27,350
- Employment: 377,040
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($37,560)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($37,200)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($36,440)
#9. Cashiers
- Annual mean salary: $22,300
- #345 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 890
National
- Annual mean salary: $26,780
- Employment: 3,335,170
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($37,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($36,910)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($35,400)
#8. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Annual mean salary: $22,260
- #357 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 140
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,580
- Employment: 723,430
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($45,430)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($44,940)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($44,580)
#7. Bartenders
- Annual mean salary: $21,980
- #360 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,340
- Employment: 485,330
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($50,180)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($47,820)
--- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ ($47,440)
#6. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Annual mean salary: $21,830
- #338 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30
National
- Annual mean salary: $27,830
- Employment: 157,400
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($38,740)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($38,290)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($35,690)
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#5. Waiters and waitresses
- Annual mean salary: $21,800
- #322 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,010
- Employment: 1,804,030
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Glens Falls, NY ($47,570)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($47,080)
--- Ithaca, NY ($44,970)
#4. Childcare workers
- Annual mean salary: $21,070
- #353 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $27,680
- Employment: 438,520
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($39,390)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($39,120)
--- Napa, CA ($36,850)
#3. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Annual mean salary: $20,850
- #315 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $26,000
- Employment: 324,690
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($37,560)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($37,060)
--- Madera, CA ($36,490)
#2. Amusement and recreation attendants
- Annual mean salary: $20,800
- #310 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
National
- Annual mean salary: $26,110
- Employment: 262,170
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($37,560)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($36,800)
--- Anchorage, AK ($36,020)

#1. Fast food and counter workers
- Annual mean salary: $20,650
- #349 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,250
National
- Annual mean salary: $26,060
- Employment: 3,095,120
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($37,090)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($36,360)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($34,240)
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