TakeHome Pay
CalculatorHourlyBonusOvertimeNo Tax on OTNo Tax on TipsOffersIncome %Total CompTax Refund

West Virginia Hourly Paycheck Calculator

An hourly wage in West Virginia 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 West Virginia's graduated income tax (2.22% to 4.82%) in 2026. Enter your wage and hours to see net pay for any pay frequency. Against the 5 states West Virginia borders, the same $25 an hour is worth $42,264 here: Ohio keeps $985 more ($43,248), Pennsylvania keeps $102 more ($42,366), Kentucky leaves $4 less ($42,260), Virginia leaves $531 less ($41,733) and Maryland leaves $560 less ($41,704). Ohio and Pennsylvania are the only borders worth crossing for the tax alone.

Estimated take-home

$1,626

every two weeks · $42,264 a year

For $25/hr, 40 hrs a week · West Virginia · local tax not included · single

Take-home 81%Taxes & deductions 19%

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
West Virginia income tax− $65.32− $1,698
Take-home pay$1,625.53$42,264

FICA is Social Security plus Medicare.

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

Your details

$
Not included
More options 401(k), HSA, insurance, withholding…
Deductions & contributionspre-tax
%
$
$
$
Insurance & withholdingoptional
$
$
$
$
$
$

You keep

81¢of every dollar

On average you keep 81¢ of each dollar. Of your next $1,000, you’d keep about $759: the dashed line.

Insights

  • Next $1,000

    Every extra $1,000 you earn adds about $759 to your take-home. The other $241 goes to tax.

  • In Texas

    In Texas the same pay would leave you $1,698 more a year. Texas has no state income tax.

  • Overtime

    One more overtime hour a week ($37.50) would add about $57 to each paycheck after withholding.

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

Effective tax rate 18.7%

What common hourly wages leave in West Virginia

Worked full time at 40 hours a week in West Virginia, here is what common wages leave after federal tax, West Virginia income tax and FICA in 2026:

WageGrossWest Virginia taxYou keepShare kept
$18/hour$37,440$1,080$31,18383.3%
$25/hour$52,000$1,698$42,26481.3%
$35/hour$72,800$2,670$57,37478.8%

West Virginia takes about 3.3% of that money on top of the 8% federal marginal rate and 7.65% FICA.

How West Virginia ranks on hourly wages

Across all 50 states and DC, West Virginia ranks 25th for what $25 an hour leaves in 2026. That is $4 more than the median state ($42,260), and $2,590 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, $1,698 more than West Virginia keeps.

West Virginia 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 West Virginia against the states it borders:

StateState income taxYou keepvs West Virginia
West Virginia$1,698$42,264—
Kentucky$1,702$42,260$4 less
Maryland$2,258$41,704$560 less
Ohio$714$43,248$985 more
Pennsylvania$1,596$42,366$102 more
Virginia$2,229$41,733$531 less

How hourly take-home pay is calculated in West Virginia

Your hourly wage is just the starting point. West Virginia 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.
  • West Virginia state income tax: Wages are taxed through West Virginia's graduated income tax (2.22% to 4.82%), applied to each paycheck based on your annualized income and filing status. Local income taxes in some West Virginia cities or counties are not included.
  • 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 West Virginia are subject to federal income tax (based on your annualized income and filing status), West Virginia's graduated income tax (2.22% to 4.82%), 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 West Virginia bracket. In West Virginia it works out to $31,183 on $18 an hour, $42,264 on $25 an hour, $57,374 on $35 an hour: take-home, not gross.

Federal income tax (using progressive brackets based on your annualized income and filing status), West Virginia's graduated income tax (2.22% to 4.82%), 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).

West Virginia's minimum wage is set by state law and may be higher than the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour. Some cities within West Virginia have their own higher local minimums. Check your employer's offer against the current West Virginia 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 West Virginia that is about $1,626 every two weeks, $1,761 semi-monthly or $3,522 a month after tax. The calculator adjusts withholding for weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly and monthly periods.

Against the 5 states West Virginia borders, the same $25 an hour is worth $42,264 here: Ohio keeps $985 more ($43,248), Pennsylvania keeps $102 more ($42,366), Kentucky leaves $4 less ($42,260), Virginia leaves $531 less ($41,733) and Maryland leaves $560 less ($41,704). Ohio and Pennsylvania are the only borders worth crossing for the tax alone.

Yes. West Virginia does not tax Social Security or retirement income (pensions, 401(k) withdrawals, IRA distributions) for all residents, regardless of age. This makes West Virginia attractive for retirees, as they pay no state tax on retirement income. However, property taxes in West Virginia can vary by county, and some areas have higher property tax rates than others.

West Virginia's 6.5% top rate is higher than many people expect for a 'low-cost' state. The compressed brackets mean most earners hit the top rate quickly, making the effective rate higher than the 3% starting rate suggests. Combined with relatively high sales tax rates (6%-7%), the total tax burden can be significant. A $75,000 earner pays an effective rate around 5%-5.5% (approximately $3,750-$4,125 annually), while the same earner in a flat-tax state like Pennsylvania would pay $2,300 (3.07% flat, though PA may have local EIT).

Related Tools