How Alabama taxes your paycheck in 2026
Alabama uses graduated brackets running from 2% up to 5%. On top of that, every Alabama worker pays federal income tax plus 6.2% Social Security (on the first $184,500 of 2026 wages) and 1.45% Medicare with no cap. This calculator applies all of it at once, so the take-home figure is the real one.
Alabama income tax brackets, 2026
Applied to taxable income — that is, your wages after the Alabama standard deduction and personal exemption. Single filer figures shown.
| Rate | Taxable income (single) |
|---|---|
| 2% | $0 – $500 |
| 4% | $500 – $3,000 |
| 5% | $3,000 and above |
Standard deduction: $3,000 single / $8,500 married · Personal exemption: $1,500 single / $3,000 married.
What Alabama state tax costs at different salaries
Single filer, Alabama state income tax only — federal tax and FICA are on top of these figures.
| Annual salary | Alabama income tax | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $2,235 | 4.47% |
| $75,000 | $3,485 | 4.65% |
| $100,000 | $4,735 | 4.74% |
| $150,000 | $7,235 | 4.82% |
Local income tax in Alabama
Some Alabama cities and counties levy their own income tax on top of the state rate. Pick yours from the dropdown above — options include Birmingham / Gadsden (1%), Macon County (1%).
How Alabama compares with neighbouring states
State income tax owed by a single filer on a $75,000 salary — Alabama against the states around it:
| State | Tax on $75,000 | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | No income tax | 0% |
| Florida | No income tax | 0% |
| Mississippi | $2,268 | 3.02% |
| Georgia | $2,994 | 3.99% |
| Alabama (this state) | $3,485 | 4.65% |
Alabama ranks highest of these 5 at that salary, costing about $3,485 a year more than Tennessee. Where you physically work usually decides which state withholds, so a short commute across a border can change your take-home meaningfully.
Why your effective Alabama rate isn't 5%
On a $75,000 salary the headline rate is 5%, but the real bite is about 4.65%. Two things cause the gap. First, the brackets are marginal — only income inside each band is taxed at that band's rate. Second, Alabama shelters the first $4,500 of income (a $3,000 standard deduction plus a $1,500 personal exemption) before any tax applies.
Worth noting: Alabama's $4,500 of shelter is well below the federal standard deduction of $16,100, so you pay Alabama tax on roughly $11,600 more income than you pay federal tax on — about $580 a year in extra state tax at the top rate.
Local tax applies in Alabama. Some cities or counties add their own income tax on top of the state rate — select yours from the dropdown above, since it can exceed the state tax itself in a few places.
Federal taxes on top
Every Alabama worker also pays federal income tax plus 6.2% Social Security and 1.45% Medicare. Those rules are identical in all 50 states — see the main paycheck calculator for how FICA, the wage base, pre-tax deductions and FICA-exempt occupations work.
Nearby states
Compare Alabama with Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida — or see the full list of all 50 states and DC.