How Virginia taxes your paycheck in 2026
Virginia uses graduated brackets running from 2% up to 5.75%. On top of that, every Virginia 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.
Virginia income tax brackets, 2026
Applied to taxable income — that is, your wages after the Virginia standard deduction and personal exemption. Single filer figures shown.
| Rate | Taxable income (single) |
|---|---|
| 2% | $0 – $3,000 |
| 3% | $3,000 – $5,000 |
| 5% | $5,000 – $17,000 |
| 5.75% | $17,000 and above |
Standard deduction: $8,750 single / $17,500 married · Personal exemption: $930 single / $1,860 married.
What Virginia state tax costs at different salaries
Single filer, Virginia state income tax only — federal tax and FICA are on top of these figures.
| Annual salary | Virginia income tax | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $2,061 | 4.12% |
| $75,000 | $3,498 | 4.66% |
| $100,000 | $4,936 | 4.94% |
| $150,000 | $7,811 | 5.21% |
How Virginia compares with neighbouring states
State income tax owed by a single filer on a $75,000 salary — Virginia against the states around it:
| State | Tax on $75,000 | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | No income tax | 0% |
| North Carolina | $2,484 | 3.31% |
| West Virginia | $2,546 | 3.39% |
| Maryland | $3,199 | 4.27% |
| Virginia (this state) | $3,498 | 4.66% |
Virginia ranks highest of these 5 at that salary, costing about $3,498 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 Virginia rate isn't 5.75%
On a $75,000 salary the headline rate is 5.75%, but the real bite is about 4.66%. Two things cause the gap. First, the brackets are marginal — only income inside each band is taxed at that band's rate. Second, Virginia shelters the first $9,680 of income (a $8,750 standard deduction plus a $930 personal exemption) before any tax applies.
Worth noting: Virginia's $9,680 of shelter is well below the federal standard deduction of $16,100, so you pay Virginia tax on roughly $6,420 more income than you pay federal tax on — about $369 a year in extra state tax at the top rate.
No local income tax in Virginia. No city or county levies its own income tax, so the figure above is your complete state and local income tax picture.
Federal taxes on top
Every Virginia 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 Virginia with North Carolina, Maryland, West Virginia, Tennessee — or see the full list of all 50 states and DC.