Lowest-paying jobs in Crestview

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 Crestview. 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.

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Loveischiangrai // Shutterstock

1 / 50

#50. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers

- Median annual wage: $36,450
- Median hourly wage: $17.52
- Total employment: 1,230 people (9.89 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Library technicians

- Median annual wage: $36,420
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 40 people (0.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Cooks, restaurant

- Median annual wage: $36,400
- Median hourly wage: $17.50
- Total employment: 2,520 people (20.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Ground Picture // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Stockers and order fillers

- Median annual wage: $36,230
- Median hourly wage: $17.42
- Total employment: 2,120 people (17.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock

5 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $36,210
- Median hourly wage: $17.41
- Total employment: 1,160 people (9.28 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#45. Nursing assistants

- Median annual wage: $36,200
- Median hourly wage: $17.41
- Total employment: 810 people (6.46 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

MarijaBazarova // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Skincare specialists

- Median annual wage: $35,890
- Median hourly wage: $17.26
- Total employment: 80 people (0.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#42. Food preparation workers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $35,620
- Median hourly wage: $17.12
- Total employment: 1,100 people (8.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Flamingo Images // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Concierges (tie)

- Median annual wage: $35,620
- Median hourly wage: $17.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Lucky Business // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Sales and related workers, all other

- Median annual wage: $35,490
- Median hourly wage: $17.06
- Total employment: 70 people (0.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Daniel M Ernst // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Eligibility interviewers, government programs

- Median annual wage: $35,350
- Median hourly wage: $17.00
- Total employment: 40 people (0.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

New Africa // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Receptionists and information clerks

- Median annual wage: $35,200
- Median hourly wage: $16.92
- Total employment: 890 people (7.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Parts salespersons

- Median annual wage: $34,700
- Median hourly wage: $16.68
- Total employment: 200 people (1.62 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks

- Median annual wage: $34,680
- Median hourly wage: $16.67
- Total employment: 140 people (1.14 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jacob Lund // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Photographers

- Median annual wage: $34,270
- Median hourly wage: $16.48
- Total employment: 60 people (0.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Africa Studio // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs

- Median annual wage: $34,070
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 170 people (1.35 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kanemme6 // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Tire repairers and changers

- Median annual wage: $34,060
- Median hourly wage: $16.38
- Total employment: 100 people (0.83 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DSBfoto // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $33,710
- Median hourly wage: $16.21
- Total employment: 1,460 people (11.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jason Person // Shutterstock

19 / 50

#32. Cooks, short order

- Median annual wage: $33,400
- Median hourly wage: $16.06
- Total employment: 140 people (1.09 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Sewing machine operators

- Median annual wage: $33,180
- Median hourly wage: $15.95
- Total employment: 40 people (0.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

- Median annual wage: $33,120
- Median hourly wage: $15.92
- Total employment: 500 people (3.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Home health and personal care aides

- Median annual wage: $32,760
- Median hourly wage: $15.75
- Total employment: 640 people (5.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Recreation workers

- Median annual wage: $31,930
- Median hourly wage: $15.35
- Total employment: 210 people (1.71 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

24 / 50

#27. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

- Median annual wage: $31,830
- Median hourly wage: $15.30
- Total employment: 120 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Retail salespersons

- Median annual wage: $31,670
- Median hourly wage: $15.23
- Total employment: 5,510 people (44.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#24. Substitute teachers, short-term (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 630 people (5.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment (tie)

- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 310 people (2.52 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Food servers, nonrestaurant

- Median annual wage: $31,150
- Median hourly wage: $14.98
- Total employment: 90 people (0.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Cooks, fast food

- Median annual wage: $31,040
- Median hourly wage: $14.92
- Total employment: 240 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

- Median annual wage: $30,920
- Median hourly wage: $14.86
- Total employment: 190 people (1.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $30,680
- Median hourly wage: $14.75
- Total employment: 1,070 people (8.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Preschool teachers, except special education

- Median annual wage: $30,650
- Median hourly wage: $14.74
- Total employment: 270 people (2.2 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#17. Animal caretakers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $30,490
- Median hourly wage: $14.66
- Total employment: 280 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Library assistants, clerical (tie)

- Median annual wage: $30,490
- Median hourly wage: $14.66
- Total employment: 50 people (0.39 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Shakirov Albert // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Floral designers

- Median annual wage: $30,070
- Median hourly wage: $14.46
- Total employment: 40 people (0.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Waiters and waitresses

- Median annual wage: $29,940
- Median hourly wage: $14.39
- Total employment: 4,470 people (35.87 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Childcare workers

- Median annual wage: $29,930
- Median hourly wage: $14.39
- Total employment: 200 people (1.64 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

santypan // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Bartenders

- Median annual wage: $29,920
- Median hourly wage: $14.39
- Total employment: 1,160 people (9.27 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pressmaster // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Baggage porters and bellhops

- Median annual wage: $29,910
- Median hourly wage: $14.38
- Total employment: 130 people (1.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $29,860
- Median hourly wage: $14.36
- Total employment: 840 people (6.73 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Dishwashers

- Median annual wage: $29,400
- Median hourly wage: $14.14
- Total employment: 700 people (5.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Amusement and recreation attendants

- Median annual wage: $29,340
- Median hourly wage: $14.11
- Total employment: 780 people (6.22 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $29,230
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 820 people (6.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Cashiers

- Median annual wage: $29,170
- Median hourly wage: $14.02
- Total employment: 3,040 people (24.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

- Median annual wage: $29,010
- Median hourly wage: $13.95
- Total employment: 360 people (2.9 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

46 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $28,380
- Median hourly wage: $13.65
- Total employment: 760 people (6.07 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nature's Charm // Shutterstock

47 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $28,070
- Median hourly wage: $13.50
- Total employment: 120 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Fast food and counter workers

- Median annual wage: $27,750
- Median hourly wage: $13.34
- Total employment: 4,360 people (34.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Packers and packagers, hand

- Median annual wage: $27,560
- Median hourly wage: $13.25
- Total employment: 320 people (2.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Martin Smith // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Parking attendants

- Median annual wage: $26,230
- Median hourly wage: $12.61
- Total employment: 240 people (1.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 364 metros.

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