Work out what lands in your bank account on payday in Ohio. Enter salary or hourly pay, then see federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, Ohio's 2026 flat state tax and the city and school district taxes that make Ohio paychecks different from most states.
Last updated:
Gross pay
How are you paid?
$
$
h
h
Paid at 1.5× your rate
Married filing separately: choose Single
Federal (2026 Form W-4)
$
$2,200 per child under 17, $500 per other dependent
$
Ohio state & local
You, your spouse and each dependent
%
2026 flat rate (HB 96); editable
%
Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo 2.5%; Cincinnati 1.8%
%
0 if your district has none
School district tax base
Deductions
% of gross
Capped at the 2026 limit of $24,500
$
Section 125 deductions
$
Roth 401(k), union dues, garnishments
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Ohio Paycheck Calculator
Enter your pay: annual salary, or hourly rate with weekly hours and overtime.
Pick pay frequency and filing status, and add any W-4 dependent credits.
Set Ohio details: number of exemptions on your IT 4, your city's income tax rate and any school district rate.
Add deductions such as a 401(k) percentage and health insurance per check.
Press Calculate take-home pay and review the breakdown, chart and comparison table.
How Ohio paycheck taxes are calculated
An Ohio paycheck usually has up to five tax lines: federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Ohio income tax and local tax (city and, in some places, school district). The calculator works out each one on a yearly basis and divides by the number of paychecks.
Ohio taxable income = wages − traditional 401(k) − section 125 deductions − exemptions
Ohio tax (2026) = (Ohio taxable income − $26,050) × 2.75%, never below zero
City tax = Medicare wages × city rate (401(k) deferrals are included)
School district tax = Ohio taxable income (traditional) or wages (earned-income base) × district rate
Example: a single filer earning $50,000 with no pre-tax deductions has one exemption of $2,150 (income between $40,000 and $80,000). Ohio taxable income is $47,850, and the 2026 state tax is ($47,850 − $26,050) × 2.75% = $599.50 a year. Living and working in Columbus adds 2.5% city tax: $1,250.00, which is more than the state tax.
Ohio income tax brackets: 2025 vs 2026
Ohio taxable income
2025 rate
2026 rate (HB 96)
$0 – $26,050
0%
0%
$26,051 – $100,000
2.75%
2.75%
Over $100,000
3.125%
2.75%
The rate field is editable, so you can model a future change. The official Ohio tax tables also include small credits (for example the $20 exemption credit and joint filing credit) that this paycheck estimate leaves out.
Municipal income tax in major Ohio cities
City
Rate
Tax on $50,000 of wages
Columbus
2.5%
$1,250
Cleveland
2.5%
$1,250
Toledo
2.5%
$1,250
Akron
2.5%
$1,250
Dayton
2.5%
$1,250
Cincinnati
1.8%
$900
Rates change by local vote, so confirm yours with your city or the Regional Income Tax Agency (RITA) or Central Collection Agency (CCA). If you live in one city and work in another, your work city withholds first and your home city may give a full, partial or no credit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Ohio state income tax rate for 2026?
Ohio House Bill 96 replaced the two upper brackets with a flat 2.75% rate on Ohio taxable income above $26,050 starting with tax year 2026. Income up to $26,050 stays in the 0% bracket. In 2025 the top rate was 3.125% on income over $100,000.
Do I pay city income tax in Ohio?
Most Ohio cities and many villages levy a municipal income tax on wages, usually between 1% and 2.5%. Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo, Akron and Dayton charge 2.5% and Cincinnati 1.8%. It is generally paid to the city where you work, and your home city may tax the difference after a credit.
What is Ohio school district income tax?
About 200 Ohio school districts levy their own income tax, typically 0.5% to 2%, on residents. Traditional-base districts tax Ohio taxable income after exemptions, while earned-income-base districts tax wages and self-employment income only. Look up your district with the Ohio Department of Taxation's lookup tool.
How much is the Ohio personal exemption?
Each exemption is worth $2,400 if your Ohio adjusted gross income is $40,000 or less, $2,150 between $40,001 and $80,000, and $1,900 between $80,001 and $750,000. No exemption is allowed above $750,000.
Is my 401(k) taxed by Ohio cities?
Ohio's state tax starts from federal adjusted gross income, so traditional 401(k) deferrals are not taxed by the state. Municipal income tax, however, is charged on Medicare wages, which include 401(k) deferrals, so your city tax base is usually higher than your state base.
Why is my actual Ohio paycheck different?
Employers use the Ohio withholding formula and IRS Publication 15-T, which annualize each check in slightly different ways. Bonuses, a second job, local tax credits and benefits all change the result, so treat this as a planning estimate and compare it with your pay stub.
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