Virginia Paycheck Calculator
Detailed paycheck estimator for workers in Virginia (VA). Uses updated 2026 federal withholdings, FICA tax limits, and state-specific tax brackets.
Estimate Take-Home Income in VA
Progressive State TaxCalculator Inputs
Calculation Result
How much tax comes out of a paycheck in Virginia?
Virginia's graduated tax reaches its top rate of 5.75% at just $17,000 of taxable income, so a single filer earning $75,000 takes home about $58,040.50 a year.
W-2 tax structure in Virginia
Virginia's progressive tax brackets (2%, 3%, 5%, and 5.75%) are compressed. The top bracket of 5.75% starts at $17,000 of taxable income, meaning most of a typical salary is taxed at the highest rate.
Worked payroll example (gross $75,000 salary)
| Withholding Category | Annual Deduction |
|---|---|
| Gross Pay | $75,000.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$7,670.00 |
| FICA Tax (Social Security & Medicare) | -$5,737.50 |
| State Income Tax | -$3,552.00 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $58,040.50 |
What makes Virginia W-2 taxation different?
Virginia does not levy local county or city income taxes, meaning the state rates are the only income taxes deducted. The median household income in Virginia is $92,090 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Relocating from or to Virginia?
Comparing Virginia to neighboring Maryland, Virginia's system tops out at 5.75% with zero county taxes, whereas Maryland layers county taxes on top of its progressive brackets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Virginia's income tax progressive if the top bracket starts so low?
Technically yes, but functionally most full-time W-2 earners land in the top 5.75% bracket for the majority of their income, similar to a flat tax.
Do Virginia counties add a local income tax?
No. Virginia does not permit local municipal or county-level income taxes.
What is the median household income in Virginia?
The median household income in Virginia is $92,090 according to the 2024 U.S. Census Bureau ACS estimates.
How does Virginia's cost of living compare to Maryland?
Virginia's MERIC index is 102.2 (U.S. average = 100) compared to Maryland's 117.4, indicating lower housing and rental costs outside the immediate D.C. core.
- Federal baseline calculations: IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32.
- FICA caps and limits: Social Security Administration (2026).
- State tax rates: Tax Foundation Individual Income Tax Rates (2026).
- Median household income: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2024).
- Cost of Living Index: MERIC Cost of Living Data Series (2025).
Why almost everyone in Virginia pays the top rate
Virginia has four brackets: 2%, 3%, 5% and 5.75%. That sounds graduated. In practice it is close to a flat tax, because the top bracket starts at just $17,000 of taxable income.
Think about what that means. If you earn $75,000, or $50,000, or $200,000, almost all of your taxable income sits in the 5.75% band. The lower brackets only apply to the first $17,000, which is worth a few hundred dollars regardless of what you make. Virginia is one of the few states where a raise almost never moves you into a meaningfully different tax situation, because you were already at the top.
Those thresholds have not moved in decades, which is why the graduated structure has quietly stopped doing anything. Any calculator that shows you a big "effective rate versus marginal rate" gap for Virginia is modelling it wrong.
On a $75,000 salary, Virginia state tax works out to roughly $3,552 a year, leaving about $58,040.50 after federal tax and FICA.
Virginia has no local income tax, and that matters if you work in DC or Maryland
Virginia is unusual in the mid-Atlantic: no city or county in Virginia levies its own income tax. Arlington, Alexandria, Richmond and Virginia Beach all take zero on top of the state rate.
That is the whole ballgame for anyone in the DC metro deciding where to live. Maryland layers a county income tax on top of its state brackets, and that county line can swing your take-home pay by hundreds of dollars a year on an identical salary.
The commuting rules also work in your favour. Virginia, Maryland and DC have reciprocity agreements, so if you live in Virginia and work in DC or Maryland, you generally pay income tax to Virginia only, on your Virginia return, rather than filing in two places. Your employer should be withholding for your state of residence. If your pay stub shows withholding for the wrong state, that is worth fixing early rather than sorting it out at filing time.
Virginia ranks 44th of 50 for take-home pay
On a $80,000 salary, a single filer keeps $61,324 in Virginiaafter federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax — $3,786 less than Alaska, the highest.
Plan your Virginia Budget: The Paycheck Split™
The Paycheck Split™
Divide your take-home pay to plan your budget (Essentials, Lifestyle, Financial Goals).