How Wisconsin taxes your paycheck
Wisconsin has progressive income tax rates from 3.5% to 7.65% for tax year 2026, in 4 brackets. Before the rate applies, the calculator subtracts a standard deduction of $13,960 for single filers, $25,840 for married couples filing jointly and $18,030 for heads of household and a personal exemption of $700 per filer ($1,400 for a married couple). The standard deduction phases out as income rises: over $20,119–$136,453 for single filers, $29,039–$159,690 for married couples and $20,119–$136,453 for heads of household. The calculator applies this using your taxable wages as the income figure.
Traditional 401(k) contributions are excluded from Wisconsin taxable wages, and Section 125 health premiums are excluded.
Figures are from Wisconsin 2026 Form 1-ES Instructions, D-101A (R. 1-26) (tax year 2026).
Take-home pay examples in Wisconsin
A single filer earning $60,000 in Wisconsin, paid every two weeks, takes home about $1,858.48 per paycheck, or $48,320 a year. Of the $60,000, $5,020 goes to federal income tax, $4,590 to Social Security and Medicare, and $2,070 to Wisconsin income tax.
At $100,000, take-home pay is about $74,752 a year ($2,875.10 per paycheck), with $4,428 of Wisconsin income tax. A married couple filing jointly on one $100,000 salary keeps about $80,915, because of the larger standard deduction and wider brackets. The table below shows more salaries.
Other Wisconsin payroll deductions
Wisconsin has no state-mandated employee payroll contribution, such as disability or paid family leave insurance, included in this calculator. Your paycheck may still show voluntary or employer-specific deductions.
Local income taxes in Wisconsin
Wisconsin has no local income taxes on wages.
Hourly pay in Wisconsin
A full-time worker earning $20 an hour (40 hours a week, $41,600 a year) in Wisconsin takes home about $1,324.72 every two weeks, or $662.36 a week on average, as a single filer. Wisconsin income tax takes $1,163 of that pay a year, an effective state rate of 2.795%. Choose Hourly wage in the calculator to enter your own rate and hours.
Wisconsin compared with neighboring states
On a $75,000 salary (single, no pre-tax deductions), take-home pay in Wisconsin is about $58,649 a year. It is higher in Iowa and Michigan, and lower in Illinois and Minnesota. The comparison table below shows the difference in dollars. Where you live usually decides which state taxes your wages, but people who live in one state and work in another should check both states' rules on residency and credits.
What else to know about Wisconsin taxes
Wisconsin uses a sliding standard deduction that shrinks as income rises: for single filers between $20,119 and $136,453, for married couples between $29,039 and $159,690, and for heads of household in two stages between $20,119 and $136,453. The calculator applies these phase-outs.
What this estimate does not include
Tax credits, itemized deductions, other income, overtime, bonuses and post-tax deductions are not included, and actual withholding follows your Form W-4 and Wisconsin's own withholding rules. Use it as a planning estimate. For the method and the federal rules, see the main paycheck calculator.