Lowest-paying jobs in Redding

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 Redding. 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.

kanemme6 // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Tire repairers and changers

- Median annual wage: $38,900
- Median hourly wage: $18.70
- Total employment: 100 people (1.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VH-studio // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Protective service workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $38,810
- Median hourly wage: $18.66
- Total employment: 120 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

MAVV // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse

- Median annual wage: $38,780
- Median hourly wage: $18.65
- Total employment: 70 people (1.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $38,540
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 840 people (12.02 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Stockers and order fillers

- Median annual wage: $38,410
- Median hourly wage: $18.47
- Total employment: 1,150 people (16.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Preschool teachers, except special education

- Median annual wage: $38,400
- Median hourly wage: $18.46
- Total employment: 230 people (3.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

worradirek // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Helpers--production workers

- Median annual wage: $38,280
- Median hourly wage: $18.41
- Total employment: 90 people (1.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

New Africa // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Receptionists and information clerks

- Median annual wage: $38,240
- Median hourly wage: $18.38
- Total employment: 390 people (5.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Production workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $38,160
- Median hourly wage: $18.35
- Total employment: 100 people (1.4 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

hedgehog94 // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Pest control workers

- Median annual wage: $38,100
- Median hourly wage: $18.32
- Total employment: 140 people (2.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Parilov // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Logging workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $37,900
- Median hourly wage: $18.22
- Total employment: 40 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Cooks, restaurant

- Median annual wage: $37,850
- Median hourly wage: $18.20
- Total employment: 590 people (8.44 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Parts salespersons

- Median annual wage: $37,830
- Median hourly wage: $18.19
- Total employment: 210 people (3.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $37,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.96
- Total employment: 70 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DSBfoto // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $37,250
- Median hourly wage: $17.91
- Total employment: 840 people (12.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Skincare specialists

- Median annual wage: $37,080
- Median hourly wage: $17.83
- Total employment: 50 people (0.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Bakers

- Median annual wage: $36,950
- Median hourly wage: $17.76
- Total employment: 110 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

18 / 50

#33. Cooks, fast food

- Median annual wage: $36,780
- Median hourly wage: $17.69
- Total employment: 490 people (7.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand

- Median annual wage: $36,710
- Median hourly wage: $17.65
- Total employment: 1,170 people (16.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DuxX // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders

- Median annual wage: $36,410
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

- Median annual wage: $36,330
- Median hourly wage: $17.46
- Total employment: 60 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Library assistants, clerical

- Median annual wage: $36,250
- Median hourly wage: $17.43
- Total employment: 50 people (0.68 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

- Median annual wage: $36,070
- Median hourly wage: $17.34
- Total employment: 90 people (1.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

- Median annual wage: $36,060
- Median hourly wage: $17.34
- Total employment: 190 people (2.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop

- Median annual wage: $35,940
- Median hourly wage: $17.28
- Total employment: 190 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Demonstrators and product promoters

- Median annual wage: $35,930
- Median hourly wage: $17.28
- Total employment: 30 people (0.48 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Fast food and counter workers

- Median annual wage: $35,880
- Median hourly wage: $17.25
- Total employment: 1,880 people (27.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jason Person // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Cooks, short order

- Median annual wage: $35,790
- Median hourly wage: $17.21
- Total employment: 120 people (1.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

- Median annual wage: $35,640
- Median hourly wage: $17.14
- Total employment: 60 people (0.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Childcare workers

- Median annual wage: $35,570
- Median hourly wage: $17.10
- Total employment: 250 people (3.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Recreation workers

- Median annual wage: $35,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 260 people (3.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Retail salespersons

- Median annual wage: $35,440
- Median hourly wage: $17.04
- Total employment: 1,720 people (24.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Packers and packagers, hand

- Median annual wage: $35,400
- Median hourly wage: $17.02
- Total employment: 180 people (2.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $35,360
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 130 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

shocky // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers

- Median annual wage: $35,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.98
- Total employment: 30 people (0.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Africa Studio // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs

- Median annual wage: $35,310
- Median hourly wage: $16.98
- Total employment: 70 people (1.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Physical therapist aides

- Median annual wage: $35,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.96
- Total employment: 70 people (0.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Food preparation workers

- Median annual wage: $35,090
- Median hourly wage: $16.87
- Total employment: 320 people (4.61 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $35,000
- Median hourly wage: $16.83
- Total employment: 520 people (7.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Cashiers

- Median annual wage: $34,870
- Median hourly wage: $16.76
- Total employment: 2,080 people (29.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

- Median annual wage: $34,860
- Median hourly wage: $16.76
- Total employment: 200 people (2.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Dishwashers

- Median annual wage: $34,840
- Median hourly wage: $16.75
- Total employment: 300 people (4.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Food servers, nonrestaurant

- Median annual wage: $34,640
- Median hourly wage: $16.65
- Total employment: 110 people (1.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $34,340
- Median hourly wage: $16.51
- Total employment: 220 people (3.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Finist4 // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Manicurists and pedicurists

- Median annual wage: $34,020
- Median hourly wage: $16.36
- Total employment: 110 people (1.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Amusement and recreation attendants

- Median annual wage: $33,960
- Median hourly wage: $16.33
- Total employment: 230 people (3.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santypan // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Bartenders

- Median annual wage: $33,760
- Median hourly wage: $16.23
- Total employment: 250 people (3.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nature's Charm // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $33,750
- Median hourly wage: $16.22
- Total employment: 80 people (1.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)