Kentucky Paycheck Calculator (2026)

Estimate your Kentucky take-home pay after federal tax, Social Security and Medicare.

Kentucky taxes wages at a flat 3.5% in 2026 after a standard deduction of $3,360 per taxpayer. Many cities and counties also charge an occupational license tax on gross wages, so enter your local rate in the calculator above (use 0 if none applies).

Take-home pay by salary in Kentucky

Single filer, no pre-tax deductions, 2026 tax rules, state tax only (no local occupational tax).

Salary	Per year	Per month	Biweekly	Total tax rate
$30,000	$25,353	$2,113	$975	15.5%
$40,000	$33,038	$2,753	$1,271	17.4%
$50,000	$40,723	$3,394	$1,566	18.6%
$60,000	$48,408	$4,034	$1,862	19.3%
$75,000	$59,085	$4,924	$2,273	21.2%
$90,000	$69,113	$5,759	$2,658	23.2%
$100,000	$75,798	$6,316	$2,915	24.2%
$125,000	$92,446	$7,704	$3,556	26.0%
$150,000	$108,659	$9,055	$4,179	27.6%

Kentucky state income tax at a glance

For a single filer earning $60,000 with no pre-tax deductions, Kentucky state income tax is about $1,982 a year, or 3.3% of pay. 30 of the other 49 states charge less state income tax at this income and 19 charge more. The average among states that tax wages is about $2,031, so Kentucky is about $48 below that average. This does not include local occupational tax, which you can add in the calculator above.

Salary	State income tax	Share of pay	Take-home after all taxes
$40,000	$1,282	3.2%	$33,038
$60,000	$1,982	3.3%	$48,408
$100,000	$3,382	3.4%	$75,798
$150,000	$5,132	3.4%	$108,659

Single filer, no pre-tax deductions, 2026 rules, state income tax only. See all 50 states compared.

Hourly wage to take-home pay in Kentucky

Working 40 hours a week for 52 weeks (2,080 hours), a single filer earning $25 an hour makes $52,000 a year and takes home about $42,260 in Kentucky after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and state income tax. That is about $1,625 every two weeks.

Hourly wage	Gross per year	Take-home per year	Per month	Biweekly
$15/hr	$31,200	$26,275	$2,190	$1,011
$20/hr	$41,600	$34,267	$2,856	$1,318
$25/hr	$52,000	$42,260	$3,522	$1,625
$30/hr	$62,400	$50,252	$4,188	$1,933
$40/hr	$83,200	$64,567	$5,381	$2,483
$50/hr	$104,000	$78,472	$6,539	$3,018

Single filer, no pre-tax deductions, 2026 rules, no local occupational tax. Convert other wages with the hourly to salary calculator.

Take-home pay on Kentucky's minimum wage

The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour applies in Kentucky. Working 40 hours a week all year ($15,080 gross), a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $13,516 a year, or $1,126 a month and $520 every two weeks. That income is below the federal standard deduction, so no federal income tax is owed; Social Security and Medicare still apply.

Minimum wage rates change and some cities set higher rates. Confirm the current rate with the Kentucky labor department.

Frequently asked questions

Does Kentucky have a state income tax?

Yes. Kentucky taxes wages at a flat 3.50%, which is included in this estimate. The local occupational tax is separate: enter your rate in the calculator.

How is federal income tax calculated here?

We subtract your pre-tax deductions and the 2026 standard deduction, then apply the 2026 federal brackets for your filing status. Social Security is 6.2% up to the annual wage base and Medicare is 1.45% (plus 0.9% on high earnings).

Why might my real paycheck differ?

Employers withhold based on your W-4, and health insurance, other deductions, bonuses, and local taxes change the result. Your final tax bill is settled when you file your return.