
Lowest-paying jobs in Carson City
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 Carson City, NV, 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. Insurance sales agents
- Annual mean salary: $41,770
- #375 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $69,340
- Employment: 422,600
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($104,230)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,470)
--- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA ($95,620)
#49. Pharmacy technicians
- Annual mean salary: $41,540
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#48. Court, municipal, and license clerks
- Annual mean salary: $41,340
- #172 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $44,870
- Employment: 150,170
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($66,520)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($62,040)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($60,730)
#47. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive
- Annual mean salary: $41,280
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,010
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)

#46. Tire repairers and changers
- Annual mean salary: $41,120
- #5 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $32,520
- Employment: 93,180
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($44,520)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($43,520)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($43,370)
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#45. Construction laborers
- Annual mean salary: $41,010
- #184 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#44. Customer service representatives
- Annual mean salary: $40,610
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 460
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)
#43. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Annual mean salary: $40,500
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,950
- Employment: 758,290
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($60,930)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($58,200)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($53,310)
#42. First-line supervisors of housekeeping and janitorial workers
- Annual mean salary: $40,460
- #242 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $45,100
- Employment: 153,640
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($60,770)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($60,250)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($59,160)
#41. Dental assistants
- Annual mean salary: $38,560
- #270 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,510
- Employment: 347,170
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($55,150)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($55,020)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($54,590)
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#40. Medical assistants
- Annual mean salary: $38,290
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,190
- Employment: 727,760
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($58,670)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($54,930)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($53,870)

#39. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Annual mean salary: $38,190
- #142 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
National
- Annual mean salary: $38,210
- Employment: 795,360
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($51,470)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($48,440)
--- Anchorage, AK ($47,150)
#38. Retail salespersons
- Annual mean salary: $38,020
- #6 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750
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)
#37. Electrical, electronic, and electromechanical assemblers, except coil winders, tapers, and finishers
- Annual mean salary: $36,870
- #161 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)

#36. Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Annual mean salary: $36,590
- #138 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
National
- Annual mean salary: $40,030
- Employment: 67,750
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Charleston-North Charleston, SC ($59,780)
--- Syracuse, NY ($51,600)
--- Albany, OR ($50,470)
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#35. First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers
- Annual mean salary: $36,540
- #198 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
#34. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Annual mean salary: $36,060
- #100 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180
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)
#33. Nursing assistants
- Annual mean salary: $35,610
- #59 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)

#32. Light truck drivers
- Annual mean salary: $35,370
- #354 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
National
- Annual mean salary: $42,630
- Employment: 1,010,040
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($51,860)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($51,560)
--- Waterbury, CT ($50,100)

#31. Stockers and order fillers
- Annual mean salary: $34,880
- #61 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360
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)
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#30. Tellers
- Annual mean salary: $34,780
- #145 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#29. Bakers
- Annual mean salary: $34,660
- #55 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)
#28. Counter and rental clerks
- Annual mean salary: $34,530
- #160 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)
#27. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers
- Annual mean salary: $33,710
- #196 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#26. Packers and packagers, hand
- Annual mean salary: $32,630
- #68 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
National
- Annual mean salary: $30,950
- Employment: 585,270
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($38,960)
--- Rome, GA ($38,830)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($38,460)
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#24 (tie). Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Annual mean salary: $32,530
- #256 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 280
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)
#24 (tie). Receptionists and information clerks
- Annual mean salary: $32,530
- #116 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
#23. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Annual mean salary: $32,400
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $29,960
- Employment: 111,480
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($50,340)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($41,840)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($39,120)
#22. Cooks, institution and cafeteria
- Annual mean salary: $32,260
- #132 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90
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)
#21. Driver/sales workers
- Annual mean salary: $31,500
- #168 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
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#20. Security guards
- Annual mean salary: $31,490
- #290 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,830
- Employment: 1,057,100
- Entry level education requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Idaho Falls, ID ($70,350)
--- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA ($58,440)
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($55,500)
#19. Recreation workers
- Annual mean salary: $31,370
- #148 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#18. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists
- Annual mean salary: $31,060
- #236 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
National
- Annual mean salary: $35,990
- Employment: 285,980
- Entry level education requirements: Postsecondary nondegree award
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kalamazoo-Portage, MI ($53,630)
--- Lansing-East Lansing, MI ($53,470)
--- Barnstable Town, MA ($52,630)
#17. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Annual mean salary: $30,310
- #174 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310
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)
#16. Cooks, restaurant
- Annual mean salary: $29,780
- #166 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250
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)
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#15. Childcare workers
- Annual mean salary: $29,600
- #85 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)
#14. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Annual mean salary: $29,290
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 160
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)
#13. Food preparation workers
- Annual mean salary: $28,060
- #141 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190
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)
#12. Cashiers
- Annual mean salary: $27,550
- #106 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 670
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)
#11. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers
- Annual mean salary: $26,900
- #163 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40
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)
#10. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Annual mean salary: $26,590
- #280 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 170
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)
#9. Animal caretakers
- Annual mean salary: $25,700
- #264 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)
#8. Cooks, fast food
- Annual mean salary: $25,520
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
National
- Annual mean salary: $25,490
- Employment: 768,130
- Entry level education requirements: No formal educational credential
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($36,820)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($36,640)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($35,040)
#7. Waiters and waitresses
- Annual mean salary: $24,530
- #241 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 350
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)
#6. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
- Annual mean salary: $24,060
- #249 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 70
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)

#5. Dishwashers
- Annual mean salary: $23,880
- #219 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)
#4. Bartenders
- Annual mean salary: $23,600
- #310 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150
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)

#3. Fast food and counter workers
- Annual mean salary: $23,360
- #211 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 550
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)
#2. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop
- Annual mean salary: $22,720
- #226 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50
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)
#1. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Annual mean salary: $22,660
- #266 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120
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)