Kentucky Paycheck Calculator

Enter your salary to estimate your Kentucky take-home pay after federal income tax, Kentucky state income tax, and FICA, broken down per paycheck for any pay schedule.

Take-home per paycheck

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Gross annual pay—

Federal income tax—

Kentucky state income tax—

FICA (Social Security + Medicare)—

Net annual take-home—

Where your Kentucky paycheck goes

Annual take-home versus federal, state, and FICA taxes.

Same salary, different states

Estimated 2026 take-home on an $80,000 single salary, before local taxes. Kentucky is highlighted.

How Kentucky taxes your paycheck

Kentucky taxes income at a flat 3.5%, after a standard deduction of $3,360 for single filers and $3,360 for married couples filing jointly. That is on top of federal income tax, Social Security (6.2% up to $184,500 of wages in 2026) and Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% on wages above $200,000), which are the same in every state.

Local taxes: Most Kentucky cities and counties charge an occupational license tax on wages, often 1% to 2.5% combined in Louisville and Lexington; it is not included here.

Working across state lines: Kentucky has a reciprocity agreement with Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. If you live in one of those states and work in Kentucky, you can file an exemption form with your employer so only your home state's tax is withheld.

Worked example

A single filer in Kentucky earning $80,000 a year, paid every two weeks with no pre-tax deductions: federal income tax is $8,770, Kentucky income tax is $2,682 and FICA is $6,120, leaving $62,428 a year, or about $2,401 per paycheck. A married couple filing jointly on $120,000 keeps about $96,698 a year. Putting $5,000 into a traditional 401(k) would cut this single filer's federal tax to $7,670 and Kentucky tax to $2,507.

Kentucky take-home pay at different salaries (single, 2026)

Salary	Federal tax	Kentucky tax	FICA	Take-home	Per bi-weekly check
$40,000	$2,620	$1,282	$3,060	$33,038	$1,271
$60,000	$5,020	$1,982	$4,590	$48,408	$1,862
$80,000	$8,770	$2,682	$6,120	$62,428	$2,401
$100,000	$13,170	$3,382	$7,650	$75,798	$2,915
$150,000	$24,734	$5,132	$11,475	$108,659	$4,179

How Kentucky compares

On an $80,000 single salary, Kentucky take-home is about $62,428, $2,682 less than in Texas, which has no income tax, and $513 more than in California. The chart above shows Kentucky next to Texas, California and New York on identical pay.

What this estimate includes

taxable income = salary − pre-tax deductions − standard deduction
federal tax = 2026 federal brackets (standard deduction $16,100 single / $32,200 married)
Kentucky tax = 3.5% × state taxable income
FICA = 6.2% Social Security (to $184,500) + 1.45% Medicare (+0.9% over $200,000)
per paycheck = (salary − all taxes − pre-tax deductions) ÷ pay periods

Local taxes and state payroll programs mentioned above are not included, and your actual withholding also depends on your W-4 and any state withholding certificate. State figures are the 2026 rates and brackets published by Kentucky, as compiled by the Tax Foundation.

Frequently asked questions

How much is taken out of an $80,000 paycheck in Kentucky?

For a single filer in 2026, about $17,572 a year: $8,770 federal income tax, $2,682 Kentucky income tax and $6,120 FICA, leaving $62,428, or $2,401 every two weeks. Local taxes are extra.

What is the Kentucky income tax rate in 2026?

Kentucky taxes income at a flat 3.5%, after a standard deduction of $3,360 for single filers and $3,360 for married couples filing jointly.

Are there local income taxes in Kentucky?

Most Kentucky cities and counties charge an occupational license tax on wages, often 1% to 2.5% combined in Louisville and Lexington; it is not included here.

Is take-home pay higher in Kentucky or Texas?

Texas. With no state income tax, a single filer on $80,000 keeps about $65,110 in Texas against $62,428 in Kentucky, a difference of $2,682 a year.

How can I lower the tax on my Kentucky paycheck?

Pre-tax contributions to a 401(k), HSA or FSA lower federal and Kentucky taxable income. On $80,000, a $5,000 traditional 401(k) contribution cuts federal tax to $7,670 and Kentucky tax to $2,507.

Related calculators

Paycheck Calculators by StateTake-home pay in any of the 50 states, with a ranked comparison. Federal Income Tax Calculator 2026Federal income tax for 2026 by bracket, with your effective rate. W-4 Withholding CalculatorFederal tax withheld per paycheck from your W-4 settings. Indiana Paycheck CalculatorIndiana take-home pay after federal tax, Indiana income tax and FICA. Ohio Paycheck CalculatorOhio take-home pay after federal tax, Ohio income tax and FICA. Tennessee Paycheck CalculatorTennessee take-home pay after federal tax and FICA; no state tax on wages.