Iowa · 2026
Iowa paycheck calculator
Iowa paycheck calculator for 2026. See your real take-home pay for 2026. Enter your salary, filing status and state, and this works out federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare (FICA), and state income tax, then shows what actually lands in your account. Your paycheck is built in layers: the federal government taxes your income above the standard deduction using graduated brackets, FICA takes a fixed percentage for Social Security and Medicare, and your state adds its own income tax, or none at all. Because each layer follows different rules, two people on the same salary in different states can take home noticeably different amounts. Use this to check a job offer across state lines, plan around a raise, or understand why your net pay sits well below your gross.
How Iowa tax affects your pay
Iowa is phasing down to a single flat income-tax rate after years of graduated brackets, part of a multi-year cut that lowers the rate step by step. During the transition the rate that applies can depend on the exact tax year, so two recent years may not match. The end point is a flat rate that taxes every level of income at the same percentage. Agriculture and food processing anchor the state economy that the income tax draws on. Iowa also moved most retirement income out of the tax base during the same reform, easing the burden on older residents.
Iowa taxes personal income at a single flat rate of 3.8% on taxable income after a state standard deduction of $2,130. The same rate applies whether you earn a modest wage or a high salary, which makes the state portion of your paycheck straightforward to estimate.
Flat 3.8% for 2025 (eliminated graduated brackets). Single standard deduction $2,130. State sales tax 6%; local option up to 1%.
This estimate combines federal income tax, FICA and Iowa state income tax. It excludes city and county income taxes, pre-tax deductions such as 401(k) contributions and health premiums, and tax credits, all of which can change your real take-home pay.
For how the federal income tax and FICA layers are worked out, see the Paycheck calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Iowa state income tax rate?+
Iowa applies a single flat rate of 3.8% to taxable income, after a state standard deduction of $2,130. The same rate applies whether you earn a little or a lot.
What is the sales tax in Iowa?+
Iowa's statewide sales tax is 6%, with local rates often added on top. It is separate from the income tax taken from your wages.
Does this include local or city income taxes in Iowa?+
No. This covers federal income tax, FICA and Iowa state income tax only. Some cities and counties charge a separate local income tax that is not included here.
What is taken out of a Iowa paycheck?+
Federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare (FICA at 7.65% up to the wage base), and Iowa state income tax. Pre-tax items such as 401(k) contributions and health premiums lower taxable pay and are not assumed here.
What is distinctive about Iowa tax?+
Iowa is phasing down to a single flat income-tax rate after years of graduated brackets, part of a multi-year cut that lowers the rate step by step. During the transition the rate that applies can depend on the exact tax year, so two recent years may not match. The end point is a flat rate that taxes every level of income at the same percentage. Agriculture and food processing anchor the state economy that the income tax draws on. Iowa also moved most retirement income out of the tax base during the same reform, easing the burden on older residents.
Anything specific to Iowa I should know?+
Flat 3.8% for 2025 (eliminated graduated brackets). Single standard deduction $2,130. State sales tax 6%; local option up to 1%.
Sources
Last updated: 2026 tax year
This is an estimate for general guidance, not financial or tax advice. 2026 federal and FICA figures. Federal + FICA + state income tax only; excludes local taxes, pre-tax deductions and credits. State married-jointly figures are an approximation: the state single standard deduction and bracket thresholds are doubled, which matches conforming states but may differ where a state sets its own joint schedule. Confirm with the official sources before making decisions.
Built and maintained by Vikas Dulgunde, a software engineer building money and tax tools. Figures come from the official sources above; see our editorial standards.