Lowest-paying jobs in Kingston

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 Kingston. 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.

Weerayuth Kanchanacharoen // Shutterstock

1 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $39,720
- Median hourly wage: $19.10
- Total employment: 510 people (8.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Olena Yakobchuk // Shutterstock

2 / 50

#49. Automotive and watercraft service attendants

- Median annual wage: $39,640
- Median hourly wage: $19.06
- Total employment: 40 people (0.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

New Africa // Shutterstock

3 / 50

#48. Receptionists and information clerks

- Median annual wage: $39,430
- Median hourly wage: $18.96
- Total employment: 520 people (8.95 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

kanemme6 // Shutterstock

4 / 50

#47. Tire repairers and changers

- Median annual wage: $39,390
- Median hourly wage: $18.94
- Total employment: 40 people (0.6 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Tyler Olson // Shutterstock

5 / 50

#46. Library technicians

- Median annual wage: $39,330
- Median hourly wage: $18.91
- Total employment: 50 people (0.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Nomad_Soul // Shutterstock

6 / 50

#44. Bakers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $39,230
- Median hourly wage: $18.86
- Total employment: 220 people (3.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

ORION PRODUCTION // Shutterstock

7 / 50

#44. Veterinary assistants and laboratory animal caretakers (tie)

- Median annual wage: $39,230
- Median hourly wage: $18.86
- Total employment: 80 people (1.33 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paolo Bona // Shutterstock

8 / 50

#43. Cooks, restaurant

- Median annual wage: $39,170
- Median hourly wage: $18.83
- Total employment: 630 people (10.82 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragana Gordic // Shutterstock

9 / 50

#42. Pharmacy technicians

- Median annual wage: $39,030
- Median hourly wage: $18.76
- Total employment: 150 people (2.58 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

10 / 50

#41. Substitute teachers, short-term

- Median annual wage: $38,920
- Median hourly wage: $18.71
- Total employment: 330 people (5.7 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Standret // Shutterstock

11 / 50

#40. Counter and rental clerks

- Median annual wage: $38,770
- Median hourly wage: $18.64
- Total employment: 170 people (2.98 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Photographee.eu // Shutterstock

12 / 50

#39. Rehabilitation counselors

- Median annual wage: $38,720
- Median hourly wage: $18.62
- Total employment: 60 people (1.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

zhu difeng // Shutterstock

13 / 50

#38. Merchandise displayers and window trimmers

- Median annual wage: $38,690
- Median hourly wage: $18.60
- Total employment: 80 people (1.32 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Jason Person // Shutterstock

14 / 50

#37. Cooks, short order

- Median annual wage: $38,170
- Median hourly wage: $18.35
- Total employment: 180 people (3.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

worradirek // Shutterstock

15 / 50

#36. Helpers--production workers

- Median annual wage: $37,970
- Median hourly wage: $18.25
- Total employment: 30 people (0.56 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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tilialucida // Shutterstock

16 / 50

#35. Biological technicians

- Median annual wage: $37,900
- Median hourly wage: $18.22
- Total employment: 30 people (0.57 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

17 / 50

#34. Preschool teachers, except special education

- Median annual wage: $37,840
- Median hourly wage: $18.19
- Total employment: 130 people (2.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dragon Images // Shutterstock

18 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $37,740
- Median hourly wage: $18.15
- Total employment: 210 people (3.53 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

MAVV // Shutterstock

19 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $37,710
- Median hourly wage: $18.13
- Total employment: 50 people (0.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Undrey // Shutterstock

20 / 50

#31. Data entry keyers

- Median annual wage: $37,670
- Median hourly wage: $18.11
- Total employment: 50 people (0.85 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Ground Picture // Shutterstock

21 / 50

#30. Stockers and order fillers

- Median annual wage: $37,290
- Median hourly wage: $17.93
- Total employment: 1,270 people (21.75 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

giocalde // Shutterstock

22 / 50

#29. Printing press operators

- Median annual wage: $37,210
- Median hourly wage: $17.89
- Total employment: 40 people (0.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

PeopleImages.com - Yuri A // Shutterstock

23 / 50

#28. Home health and personal care aides

- Median annual wage: $37,090
- Median hourly wage: $17.83
- Total employment: 1,530 people (26.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

DSBfoto // Shutterstock

24 / 50

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

- Median annual wage: $37,030
- Median hourly wage: $17.80
- Total employment: 1,100 people (18.79 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Gabriel Georgescu // Shutterstock

25 / 50

#26. Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks

- Median annual wage: $36,800
- Median hourly wage: $17.69
- Total employment: 240 people (4.03 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Nejron Photo // Shutterstock

26 / 50

#25. Cleaners of vehicles and equipment

- Median annual wage: $36,570
- Median hourly wage: $17.58
- Total employment: 110 people (1.81 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Oksana Shufrych // Shutterstock

27 / 50

#24. Recreation workers

- Median annual wage: $36,550
- Median hourly wage: $17.57
- Total employment: 160 people (2.78 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Kitreel // Shutterstock

28 / 50

#23. Food batchmakers

- Median annual wage: $36,480
- Median hourly wage: $17.54
- Total employment: 60 people (1.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Rawpixel.com // Shutterstock

29 / 50

#22. Maids and housekeeping cleaners

- Median annual wage: $36,410
- Median hourly wage: $17.51
- Total employment: 510 people (8.69 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Andrey_Popov // Shutterstock

30 / 50

#21. Lifeguards, ski patrol, and other recreational protective service workers

- Median annual wage: $36,240
- Median hourly wage: $17.42
- Total employment: 60 people (0.96 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Pressmaster // Shutterstock

31 / 50

#20. Animal caretakers

- Median annual wage: $36,140
- Median hourly wage: $17.37
- Total employment: 150 people (2.54 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

32 / 50

#19. Retail salespersons

- Median annual wage: $35,670
- Median hourly wage: $17.15
- Total employment: 1,710 people (29.25 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Paul.J.West // Shutterstock

33 / 50

#18. Teaching assistants, except postsecondary

- Median annual wage: $35,510
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 1,140 people (19.49 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Krakenimages.com // Shutterstock

34 / 50

#17. Childcare workers

- Median annual wage: $35,370
- Median hourly wage: $17.01
- Total employment: 420 people (7.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

aboutsung // Shutterstock

35 / 50

#16. Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers

- Median annual wage: $35,340
- Median hourly wage: $16.99
- Total employment: 410 people (7.08 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock

36 / 50

#15. Food preparation workers

- Median annual wage: $35,180
- Median hourly wage: $16.92
- Total employment: 370 people (6.26 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Drazen Zigic // Shutterstock

37 / 50

#14. Library assistants, clerical

- Median annual wage: $35,160
- Median hourly wage: $16.90
- Total employment: 100 people (1.72 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

BlueSkyImage // Shutterstock

38 / 50

#13. Fast food and counter workers

- Median annual wage: $34,670
- Median hourly wage: $16.67
- Total employment: 1,470 people (25.11 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

39 / 50

#12. Dishwashers

- Median annual wage: $34,530
- Median hourly wage: $16.60
- Total employment: 270 people (4.65 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Pearl PhotoPix // Shutterstock

40 / 50

#11. Hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists

- Median annual wage: $34,440
- Median hourly wage: $16.56
- Total employment: 130 people (2.23 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

SviatlanaLaza // Shutterstock

41 / 50

#10. Packers and packagers, hand

- Median annual wage: $34,430
- Median hourly wage: $16.55
- Total employment: 160 people (2.67 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dmitry Kalinovsky // Shutterstock

42 / 50

#9. Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

- Median annual wage: $34,420
- Median hourly wage: $16.55
- Total employment: 80 people (1.45 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Richard Thornton // Shutterstock

43 / 50

#8. School bus monitors

- Median annual wage: $34,320
- Median hourly wage: $16.50
- Total employment: 210 people (3.59 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alena Veasey // Shutterstock

44 / 50

#7. Cooks, fast food

- Median annual wage: $34,030
- Median hourly wage: $16.36
- Total employment: 160 people (2.76 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Dean Drobot // Shutterstock

45 / 50

#6. Cashiers

- Median annual wage: $33,500
- Median hourly wage: $16.11
- Total employment: 1,750 people (29.88 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

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Finist4 // Shutterstock

46 / 50

#5. Manicurists and pedicurists

- Median annual wage: $33,280
- Median hourly wage: $16.00
- Total employment: 80 people (1.29 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

VGstockstudio // Shutterstock

47 / 50

#4. Food servers, nonrestaurant

- Median annual wage: $33,230
- Median hourly wage: $15.98
- Total employment: 100 people (1.66 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

create jobs 51 // Shutterstock

48 / 50

#3. Legislators

- Median annual wage: $33,080
- Median hourly wage: Not available
- Total employment: 50 people (0.93 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Alexander Oganezov // Shutterstock

49 / 50

#2. Amusement and recreation attendants

- Median annual wage: $32,920
- Median hourly wage: $15.83
- Total employment: 170 people (2.91 of every 1,000 jobs in the area)

Martin Smith // Shutterstock

50 / 50

#1. Parking attendants

- Median annual wage: $31,580
- Median hourly wage: $15.18
- Total employment: 40 people (0.73 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.