# West Virginia paycheck calculator (2026)

West Virginia W-2 employees comparing a graduated state check to Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Virginia.

West Virginia taxes wages on graduated brackets with a 4.82% top rate after a standard deduction and a personal exemption deduction. W-2 employees comparing a Charleston or Eastern Panhandle check to Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Virginia can treat this as the state-only piece; local income taxes are omitted. Takehome Cash is in-browser math, not Form IT-140. Federal figures use 2026 IRS brackets and the SSA $184,500 wage base. Tax Foundation 2026 is the state source. Municipal service fees are not modeled as income tax. Who it is for: West Virginia W-2 employees lining a graduated check up against Ohio or Virginia.

This is a W-2 style withholding approximation, not a full West Virginia Form resident return. We annualize your pay, subtract pretax 401(k) and section 125 health premiums from federal wages (health premiums also reduce FICA wages), apply the 2026 IRS standard deduction, then apply West Virginia’s published rate structure. We do not model local city or county income taxes, itemized deductions, or most credits.

Use the calculator to compare pay frequencies (hourly through annual), pretax 401(k) as a percent or a dollar amount per paycheck, and optional extra federal withholding. Last reviewed against IRS, SSA, and Tax Foundation 2026 publications on August 24, 2026.

Figures are for tax year 2026. If your employer uses a different state withholding method (percentage method vs. wage-bracket tables), your live paycheck can differ by a few dollars even when annual liability is similar.

## Tax model notes

- Kind: progressive
- (none)


## Sample estimate ($80,000 single, no 401(k))

- Gross: $80,000.00
- Federal income tax: $8,770.00
- Social Security: $4,960.00
- Medicare: $1,160.00
- State income tax: $2,921.10
- Net / take-home: $62,188.90 (effective tax 22.3%)
- Per paycheck net: $62,188.90 (1 periods)

Label: engine estimate, not a pay stub.

## FAQ

### Does West Virginia have a state income tax on wages?

Yes. West Virginia has a graduated state income tax with a top rate of 4.82% on taxable wage income in 2026. Local income taxes, if any, are not included in this estimate.

### What West Virginia income tax rate does this calculator use for 2026?

The official graduated brackets published for 2026 (Tax Foundation compilation of state statutes), with a top marginal rate of 4.82%.

### Is this my actual take-home pay?

No. It is an estimate of typical W-2 withholding. It omits local taxes (except a note on New York City), most credits (including the federal Child Tax Credit), unemployment insurance, wage-garnishment, and employer-specific benefits. Use it to plan, not to file.

### Does a 401(k) contribution reduce Social Security tax?

Usually no. Traditional 401(k) deferrals reduce federal (and often state) taxable wages, but they remain subject to Social Security and Medicare. Pre-tax health insurance premiums under a cafeteria plan generally reduce FICA wages as well.

## Related

- [Virginia](https://takehomecash.com/virginia-paycheck-calculator/index.md)
- [Ohio](https://takehomecash.com/ohio-paycheck-calculator/index.md)
- [Pennsylvania](https://takehomecash.com/pennsylvania-paycheck-calculator/index.md)
- [Kentucky](https://takehomecash.com/kentucky-paycheck-calculator/index.md)