$18 an hour biweekly,
after taxes in 2026
$18/hour at 40 hours/week is $1,440 gross every two weeks. Federal-only biweekly take-home: $1,241. Above every 2026 state minimum wage, just short of the single-adult living-wage line in most metros. Below: every state, the math, and what $37,440/year buys.
Federal-only biweekly, single, 2026
$1,241
biweekly take-home, no state tax
$1440 biweekly gross. $2,689 monthly. $32,263 annual. Effective 13.8%.
Walk-through
How $18/hour becomes $1,241 biweekly net
Step 1: Annualise to $37,440
$18/hour times 40 hours/week times 52 weeks/year is $37,440 gross. The 2,080-hour annualisation is the federal standard. If you work fewer hours, scale proportionally: 35 hours/week is $32,760, 30 hours/week is $28,080.
Step 2: Standard deduction and federal brackets
The 2026 single standard deduction is $16,100. Subtracting from $37,440 leaves $21,340 of taxable income. The first $12,400 is taxed at 10% ($1,240). The remaining $8,940 is taxed at 12% ($1,073). Total federal income tax: $2,313 per year, $89 biweekly.
At $18/hour annualised, you remain inside the 12% federal bracket. The 22% bracket starts at $50,400 of taxable income; you have $21,340. Source: IRS Publication 15-T (2026).
Step 3: FICA
Social Security 6.2% on $37,440 is $2,321. Medicare 1.45% on $37,440 is $543. Total FICA: $2,864 annually, $110 per paycheck.
Step 4: Annual net divided by 26 paychecks
Annual federal-only net: $32,263. Divided by 26 biweekly pay periods: $1,241 per paycheck. Roughly $15.51 per hour worked, after federal tax and FICA.
By state
$18/hour biweekly take-home, ranked by state
Single filer, 40 hours/week, 2026.
| State | Biweekly | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlaskaNo tax | $1,241 | $2,689 | $32,263 |
| FloridaNo tax | $1,241 | $2,689 | $32,263 |
| NevadaNo tax | $1,241 | $2,689 | $32,263 |
| New HampshireNo tax | $1,241 | $2,689 | $32,263 |
| North Dakota | $1,241 | $2,689 | $32,263 |
| Ohio | $1,241 | $2,689 | $32,263 |
| South DakotaNo tax | $1,241 | $2,689 | $32,263 |
| TennesseeNo tax | $1,241 | $2,689 | $32,263 |
| TexasNo tax | $1,241 | $2,689 | $32,263 |
| WyomingNo tax | $1,241 | $2,689 | $32,263 |
| South Carolina | $1,224 | $2,651 | $31,816 |
| New Jersey | $1,223 | $2,650 | $31,802 |
| WashingtonNo tax | $1,221 | $2,645 | $31,744 |
| West Virginia | $1,221 | $2,644 | $31,733 |
| Indiana | $1,217 | $2,636 | $31,634 |
| New Mexico | $1,216 | $2,635 | $31,620 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,216 | $2,634 | $31,608 |
| Arizona | $1,213 | $2,628 | $31,536 |
| Louisiana | $1,212 | $2,626 | $31,515 |
| Iowa | $1,210 | $2,621 | $31,452 |
| Missouri | $1,208 | $2,618 | $31,420 |
| Wisconsin | $1,206 | $2,614 | $31,366 |
| Connecticut | $1,206 | $2,614 | $31,366 |
| Michigan | $1,206 | $2,613 | $31,356 |
| Utah | $1,204 | $2,609 | $31,303 |
| North Carolina | $1,203 | $2,606 | $31,278 |
| Vermont | $1,203 | $2,605 | $31,265 |
| Nebraska | $1,202 | $2,605 | $31,263 |
| Montana | $1,202 | $2,605 | $31,260 |
| Illinois | $1,200 | $2,601 | $31,207 |
| District of Columbia | $1,199 | $2,599 | $31,183 |
| Colorado | $1,198 | $2,597 | $31,159 |
| California | $1,198 | $2,595 | $31,136 |
| Idaho | $1,197 | $2,594 | $31,132 |
| Oklahoma | $1,195 | $2,590 | $31,079 |
| Kentucky | $1,195 | $2,589 | $31,070 |
| Massachusetts | $1,193 | $2,585 | $31,024 |
| Georgia | $1,192 | $2,583 | $30,994 |
| Arkansas | $1,192 | $2,582 | $30,987 |
| Minnesota | $1,189 | $2,576 | $30,914 |
| Virginia | $1,187 | $2,573 | $30,871 |
| Rhode Island | $1,187 | $2,572 | $30,867 |
| Mississippi | $1,187 | $2,571 | $30,857 |
| Maine | $1,186 | $2,570 | $30,838 |
| Delaware | $1,183 | $2,563 | $30,752 |
| Maryland | $1,181 | $2,558 | $30,696 |
| New York | $1,180 | $2,556 | $30,677 |
| Hawaii | $1,177 | $2,550 | $30,602 |
| Alabama | $1,176 | $2,548 | $30,581 |
| Kansas | $1,172 | $2,539 | $30,462 |
| Oregon | $1,128 | $2,445 | $29,336 |
Living-wage context
$18/hour and the basic-needs threshold
The MIT Living Wage Calculator (livingwage.mit.edu) compiles county-level estimates of the wage required to cover basic needs: food, housing, healthcare, childcare, transportation, taxes, and other necessities. For a single adult with no children in 2026, the calculator typically reports $20-$25/hour as the living-wage threshold across most US counties. $18/hour sits just under that in most mid-cost areas and comfortably under it in high-cost coastal metros.
$18/hour annualised is $37,440. Federal-only monthly take-home is $2,689. The 30%-of-net-income rule on housing puts your sustainable rent at about $807/month. That works in low- and mid-cost metros (Memphis, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, smaller Sun Belt cities) but is below median one-bedroom rent in expensive coastal metros (San Francisco, NYC, Boston, Seattle, San Diego), where rent commonly exceeds $2,000/month. Many $18/hour workers in expensive metros share with roommates, live with family, or commute from cheaper outer suburbs.
$18/hour clears the federal poverty line comfortably as a single earner. Per HHS, the 2026 poverty guideline is $15,960 for a single-person household and $21,640 for a household of two; $18/hour annualised ($37,440) is well above both. The poverty line, though, is a much lower bar than a living wage: it measures a minimum floor, not the income needed to cover typical basic needs in a given county.
Customise
Try a different rate or state
Detected as hourly rate. Annual equivalent: $37,440
Your Take-Home Pay
$2,689/mo
| Gross Annual Salary | $37,440 |
| Standard Deduction (Single) | -$16,100 |
| Taxable Income | $21,340 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$2,313 |
| 10% bracket ($0 - $12,400) | -$1,240 |
| 12% bracket ($12,400 - $50,400) | -$1,073 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$2,321 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$543 |
| Total FICA | -$2,864 |
| Total Tax | -$5,177 |
| Effective Tax Rate | 13.8% |
| Marginal Tax Rate | 12% |
| Annual Take-Home Pay | $32,263 |
| Monthly | $2,689 |
| Biweekly (26 paychecks) | $1,241 |
| Weekly | $620 |
Sources
Where the 2026 numbers come from
- Federal brackets, deductions. IRS Publication 15-T (2026).
- SS wage base. SSA COLA notice.
- Living wage estimates. MIT Living Wage Calculator.
- Federal poverty guidelines. HHS poverty guidelines.
- Median wage. BLS Usual Weekly Earnings (Q2 2026).
Related
Other hourly rates and biweekly views
$15/hr biweekly
The Fight-for-$15 baseline. State minimum wage in 12+ states.
$20/hr biweekly
$41,600 annualised. The single-adult living-wage line in many counties.
$25/hr biweekly
$52,000 annualised. About 20% below US median wage.
Biweekly calculator
The 26-vs-27 paycheck quirk and biweekly net by salary.
18/hr full reference
All frequencies and states in one place.
1099 vs W-2 at $18/hr
Self-employed math vs employee math at the same hourly rate.