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Massachusetts Hourly Paycheck Calculator

An hourly wage in Massachusetts is reduced by federal income tax, FICA of 7.65% (6.2% Social Security up to the annual wage base plus 1.45% Medicare), and a 5% flat income tax, plus a 4% surtax on income over roughly $1.08 million in 2026. Enter your wage and hours to see net pay for any pay frequency. Against the 5 states Massachusetts borders, the same $25 an hour is worth $41,343 here: New Hampshire keeps $2,619 more ($43,962), Vermont keeps $1,133 more ($42,476), Rhode Island keeps $1,089 more ($42,432), Connecticut keeps $509 more ($41,852) and New York keeps $152 more ($41,495). Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont are the only borders worth crossing for the tax alone.

Estimated take-home

$1,590

every two weeks · $41,343 a year

For $25/hr, 40 hrs a week · Massachusetts · single

Take-home 80%Taxes & deductions 20%

Pay stub

ItemPer paycheckPer year
Gross pay$2,000.00$52,000
Federal income tax− $156.15− $4,060
Social Security (FICA)− $124.00− $3,224
Medicare (FICA)− $29.00− $754
Massachusetts income tax− $91.54− $2,380
MA Paid Family & Medical Leave− $9.20− $239
Take-home pay$1,590.11$41,343

FICA is Social Security plus Medicare.

Estimate based on 2026 federal and Massachusetts tax rules updated Oct 2026 How we calculate

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You keep

80¢of every dollar

On average you keep 80¢ of each dollar. Of your next $1,000, you’d keep about $749: the dashed line.

Insights

  • Next $1,000

    Every extra $1,000 you earn adds about $749 to your take-home. The other $251 goes to tax.

  • In Texas

    In Texas the same pay would leave you $2,619 more a year. Texas has no state income tax.

  • Overtime

    One more overtime hour a week ($37.50) would add about $56 to each paycheck after withholding.

State comparisons cover income and payroll taxes only; living costs and other taxes differ.

Effective tax rate 20.5%

What common hourly wages leave in Massachusetts

Worked full time at 40 hours a week in Massachusetts, here is what common wages leave after federal tax, Massachusetts income tax, FICA and MA Paid Family & Medical Leave in 2026:

WageGrossMassachusetts taxYou keepShare kept
$18/hour$37,440$1,652$30,43981.3%
$25/hour$52,000$2,380$41,34379.5%
$35/hour$72,800$3,420$56,29077.3%

Massachusetts takes about 4.6% of that money on top of the 8% federal marginal rate and 7.65% FICA, and MA Paid Family & Medical Leave takes another 0.46%.

How Massachusetts ranks on hourly wages

Across all 50 states and DC, Massachusetts ranks 49th for what $25 an hour leaves in 2026. That is $917 less than the median state ($42,260), and $1,669 more than Oregon, where the same $25 an hour leaves $39,674.

The best outcome anywhere is $43,962 in Alaska and the other states with no wage income tax, $2,619 more than Massachusetts keeps.

Massachusetts hourly wages against the states next door

Crossing a state line changes what the same hourly wage is worth without changing what you are paid. Here is $25 an hour in Massachusetts against the states it borders:

StateState income taxYou keepvs Massachusetts
Massachusetts$2,380$41,343—
Connecticut$2,110$41,852$509 more
New HampshireNone$43,962$2,619 more
New York$2,211$41,495$152 more
Rhode Island$1,530$42,432$1,089 more
Vermont$1,486$42,476$1,133 more

How hourly take-home pay is calculated in Massachusetts

Your hourly wage is just the starting point. Massachusetts workers pay federal and state taxes on their annualized income, plus mandatory FICA contributions. Here's exactly how it works.

  • Annualized income determines your bracket: Your employer annualizes your hourly income (hourly rate × hours × 52 weeks) to determine the correct withholding for each paycheck.
  • Massachusetts state income tax: Wages are taxed through a 5% flat income tax, plus a 4% surtax on income over roughly $1.08 million, applied to each paycheck based on your annualized income and filing status.
  • Social Security and Medicare: FICA taxes are 6.2% for Social Security (up to the annual wage base) and 1.45% for Medicare. These are fixed percentages with no deductions or exemptions.
  • Pre-tax deductions reduce your taxable income: Contributions to a 401(k), HSA, or FSA are deducted before taxes are calculated, lowering both your taxable income and your tax bill.

The calculator combines all these factors to show your exact take-home pay per paycheck, per month, and annually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hourly wages in Massachusetts are subject to federal income tax (based on your annualized income and filing status), a 5% flat income tax, plus a 4% surtax on income over roughly $1.08 million, and FICA taxes (Social Security at 6.2% up to the annual wage base and Medicare at 1.45%). The calculator annualizes your hourly income to determine the correct tax bracket, then shows your actual per-paycheck take-home.

Multiply your hourly rate by your weekly hours, then by 52: $25/hour × 40 hours × 52 weeks is $52,000 a year. That annualized figure sets your federal and Massachusetts bracket. In Massachusetts it works out to $30,439 on $18 an hour, $41,343 on $25 an hour, $56,290 on $35 an hour: take-home, not gross.

Federal income tax (using progressive brackets based on your annualized income and filing status), a 5% flat income tax, plus a 4% surtax on income over roughly $1.08 million, Social Security tax (6.2% up to the wage base, currently $176,100 for 2026), and Medicare tax (1.45% on all income, plus 0.9% for earnings over $200,000 if single or $250,000 if married).

Massachusetts's minimum wage is set by state law and may be higher than the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour. Some cities within Massachusetts have their own higher local minimums. Check your employer's offer against the current Massachusetts Department of Labor rates to verify compliance.

Your total annual tax is the same however often you're paid; only the per-paycheck withholding changes. On $25 an hour in Massachusetts that is about $1,590 every two weeks, $1,723 semi-monthly or $3,445 a month after tax. The calculator adjusts withholding for weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly and monthly periods.

Against the 5 states Massachusetts borders, the same $25 an hour is worth $41,343 here: New Hampshire keeps $2,619 more ($43,962), Vermont keeps $1,133 more ($42,476), Rhode Island keeps $1,089 more ($42,432), Connecticut keeps $509 more ($41,852) and New York keeps $152 more ($41,495). Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont are the only borders worth crossing for the tax alone.

Massachusetts property taxes (especially in Boston and surrounding suburbs) are among the highest in the nation. A $500,000 home in Boston might incur $8,000-$12,000+ annually in property taxes, which can offset the income tax advantage compared to other states. Many people focus on the 5% income tax rate and are shocked when they see property tax bills, which aren't on your paycheck but significantly impact your total tax burden.

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