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1 / 50#50. Stockers and order fillers
- Median annual wage: $32,230
- Median hourly wage: $15.50
- Total employment: 860 people (23.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lowest-paying jobs in Cumberland
The U.S. may be one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but financial inequality prevails within its borders. That divide is growing, especially between the poorest and richest U.S. residents.
The middle class is shrinking. In 2021, just half of adults lived in a middle-income household, a huge drop from 61% in the 70s. This dip meant some middle-class adults broke into the high-income bracket. At the same time, the share of lower-income residents is growing: 29% of adults lived in low-income households in 2021, compared to 25% in 1971.
Wages over this period grew at all income levels, but the rich got significantly higher bumps. Pew Charitable Trusts found that high incomes grew 69% over the past 50 years, while low incomes grew just 45%. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated and further exposed these harsh financial gaps.
The difference in pay for the highest- and lowest-paying jobs in the U.S. last year was over eightfold: from about $28,000 for entertainment attendants to over $251,000 for physicians. Nationally, most of the lowest-paying jobs are in the leisure and accommodation fields: think folks who work in food establishments, at hotels, at recreational facilities like pools and amusement parks, and other service jobs.
Stacker used Bureau of Labor Statistics data to find the 50 lowest-paying jobs in Cumberland. Jobs are ranked by their median annual pay as of May 2022. Any jobs without annual compensation figures available were excluded from this analysis.
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2 / 50#49. Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
- Median annual wage: $31,820
- Median hourly wage: $15.30
- Total employment: 430 people (11.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krysja // Shutterstock
3 / 50#48. Funeral attendants
- Median annual wage: $31,810
- Median hourly wage: $15.29
- Total employment: 30 people (0.86 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Ruslan Galiullin // Shutterstock
4 / 50#47. Office clerks, general
- Median annual wage: $31,690
- Median hourly wage: $15.23
- Total employment: 380 people (10.41 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
5 / 50#46. Bus drivers, school
- Median annual wage: $31,520
- Median hourly wage: $15.15
- Total employment: 160 people (4.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
6 / 50#45. Nursing assistants
- Median annual wage: $31,320
- Median hourly wage: $15.06
- Total employment: 500 people (13.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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7 / 50#44. Medical equipment preparers
- Median annual wage: $31,270
- Median hourly wage: $15.03
- Total employment: 30 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Standret // Shutterstock
8 / 50#43. Counter and rental clerks
- Median annual wage: $31,200
- Median hourly wage: $15.00
- Total employment: 70 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock
9 / 50#42. Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators
- Median annual wage: $30,930
- Median hourly wage: $14.87
- Total employment: 490 people (13.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Lucky Business // Shutterstock
10 / 50#41. Sales and related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,910
- Median hourly wage: $14.86
- Total employment: 30 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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DGLimages // Shutterstock
11 / 50#40. Healthcare support workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $30,670
- Median hourly wage: $14.75
- Total employment: 110 people (3.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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12 / 50#39. Preschool teachers, except special education
- Median annual wage: $30,380
- Median hourly wage: $14.61
- Total employment: 70 people (2.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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13 / 50#38. Helpers--installation, maintenance, and repair workers
- Median annual wage: $30,280
- Median hourly wage: $14.56
- Total employment: 40 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
New Africa // Shutterstock
14 / 50#37. Receptionists and information clerks
- Median annual wage: $30,200
- Median hourly wage: $14.52
- Total employment: 220 people (5.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
15 / 50#36. Social and human service assistants
- Median annual wage: $29,920
- Median hourly wage: $14.39
- Total employment: 160 people (4.3 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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16 / 50#35. Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing
- Median annual wage: $29,530
- Median hourly wage: $14.20
- Total employment: 60 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Paul.J.West // Shutterstock
17 / 50#34. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary
- Median annual wage: $29,390
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 280 people (7.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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18 / 50#33. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers
- Median annual wage: $29,110
- Median hourly wage: $14.00
- Total employment: 150 people (4.0 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
UfaBizPhoto // Shutterstock
19 / 50#32. Parts salespersons
- Median annual wage: $29,030
- Median hourly wage: $13.96
- Total employment: 90 people (2.55 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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20 / 50#31. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $28,860
- Median hourly wage: $13.88
- Total employment: 490 people (13.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock
21 / 50#30. Recreation workers
- Median annual wage: $28,830
- Median hourly wage: $13.86
- Total employment: 50 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock
22 / 50#29. Maids and housekeeping cleaners
- Median annual wage: $28,560
- Median hourly wage: $13.73
- Total employment: 250 people (6.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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23 / 50#28. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers
- Median annual wage: $28,550
- Median hourly wage: $13.73
- Total employment: 40 people (1.16 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Fusionstudio // Shutterstock
24 / 50#27. Shipping, receiving, and inventory clerks
- Median annual wage: $28,350
- Median hourly wage: $13.63
- Total employment: 200 people (5.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jason Person // Shutterstock
25 / 50#26. Cooks, short order
- Median annual wage: $28,310
- Median hourly wage: $13.61
- Total employment: 50 people (1.47 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Nature's Charm // Shutterstock
26 / 50#25. Food preparation and serving related workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $28,220
- Median hourly wage: $13.57
- Total employment: 80 people (2.12 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Nejron Photo // Shutterstock
27 / 50#24. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment
- Median annual wage: $27,980
- Median hourly wage: $13.45
- Total employment: 50 people (1.42 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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28 / 50#23. Cooks, restaurant
- Median annual wage: $27,890
- Median hourly wage: $13.41
- Total employment: 330 people (8.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock
29 / 50#22. Production workers, all other
- Median annual wage: $27,720
- Median hourly wage: $13.33
- Total employment: 70 people (1.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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30 / 50#21. Bartenders
- Median annual wage: $27,550
- Median hourly wage: $13.25
- Total employment: 240 people (6.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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31 / 50#20. Automotive and watercraft service attendants
- Median annual wage: $27,480
- Median hourly wage: $13.21
- Total employment: 30 people (0.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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32 / 50#19. Food preparation workers
- Median annual wage: $27,110
- Median hourly wage: $13.04
- Total employment: 240 people (6.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
33 / 50#18. Waiters and waitresses
- Median annual wage: $26,880
- Median hourly wage: $12.92
- Total employment: 510 people (14.04 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
aboutsung // Shutterstock
34 / 50#17. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
- Median annual wage: $26,860
- Median hourly wage: $12.91
- Total employment: 130 people (3.43 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
35 / 50#16. Retail salespersons
- Median annual wage: $26,770
- Median hourly wage: $12.87
- Total employment: 1,100 people (30.15 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
36 / 50#15. Driver/sales workers
- Median annual wage: $26,590
- Median hourly wage: $12.79
- Total employment: 150 people (4.19 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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37 / 50#14. Dishwashers
- Median annual wage: $26,410
- Median hourly wage: $12.70
- Total employment: 90 people (2.34 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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38 / 50#13. Home health and personal care aides
- Median annual wage: $26,350
- Median hourly wage: $12.67
- Total employment: 690 people (18.97 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
VGstockstudio // Shutterstock
39 / 50#12. Food servers, nonrestaurant
- Median annual wage: $26,330
- Median hourly wage: $12.66
- Total employment: 50 people (1.38 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Pressmaster // Shutterstock
40 / 50#10. Animal caretakers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,220
- Median hourly wage: $12.61
- Total employment: 60 people (1.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Anucha Cheechang // Shutterstock
41 / 50#10. Switchboard operators, including answering service (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,220
- Median hourly wage: $12.61
- Total employment: 80 people (2.31 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Africa Studio // Shutterstock
42 / 50#2. Shuttle drivers and chauffeurs (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 30 people (0.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock
43 / 50#2. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 70 people (1.99 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock
44 / 50#2. Childcare workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 70 people (1.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
45 / 50#2. Office and administrative support workers, all other (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 110 people (3.01 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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Dean Drobot // Shutterstock
46 / 50#2. Cashiers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 1,100 people (30.05 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dragon Images // Shutterstock
47 / 50#2. Hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 100 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock
48 / 50#2. Fast food and counter workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 1,050 people (28.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock
49 / 50#2. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers (tie)
- Median annual wage: $26,000
- Median hourly wage: $12.50
- Total employment: 60 people (1.51 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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50 / 50#1. Butchers and meat cutters
- Median annual wage: $25,880
- Median hourly wage: $12.44
- Total employment: 40 people (1.17 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)
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