District of Columbia income tax in 2026
The District of Columbia has a graduated income tax with rates from 4% to 10.75% for single filers, spread across 7 brackets. Traditional 401(k) contributions lower your District of Columbia taxable income as well as your federal taxable income. The District of Columbia then subtracts its own standard deduction of $15,000 for single filers ($30,000 married filing jointly).
| Taxable income (all filers) | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 – $10,000 | 4% |
| $10,000 – $40,000 | 6% |
| $40,000 – $60,000 | 6.5% |
| $60,000 – $250,000 | 8.5% |
| $250,000 – $500,000 | 9.25% |
| $500,000 – $1,000,000 | 9.75% |
| Over $1,000,000 | 10.75% |
District of Columbia rules and notes
Some 2026 District of Columbia figures are projections or awaiting official publication; the notes below explain which.
- Rates unchanged for 2026: 4% to $10,000; 6% to $40,000; 6.5% to $60,000; 8.5% to $250,000; 9.25% to $500,000; 9.75% to $1,000,000; 10.75% above. The same brackets apply to all filing statuses.
- DC decoupled from the higher federal (OBBBA) standard deduction. The Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Support Act of 2026 (Council action July 2026; CFO fiscal impact statement on the substitute circulated July 6, 2026) keeps DC's own basic standard deduction at the 2025 TCJA level through tax year 2029 with an annual cost-of-living adjustment. As codified in D.C. Code 47-1801.04(3A), the 2026+ amounts are $15,000 single/MFS, $22,500 head of household, $30,000 MFJ, 'increased annually pursuant to the cost-of-living adjustment' with a COLA base year of 2025; because the COLA compares the CPI for the preceding calendar year (2025) with the base year (2025), the adjustment for tax year 2026 appears to be zero, so these base amounts are shown as the 2026 figures. OTR had not published a 2026 figure when this was checked; note that OTR's 2026 D-40ES booklet (Rev. 03/2026, issued before the Budget Support Act) listed the federal amounts $16,100 / $24,150 / $32,200, and the permanent act is subject to congressional review.
- Background: DC's first decoupling law (D.C. Income and Franchise Tax Conformity and Revision Temporary Amendment Act of 2025, D.C. Law 26-89 per the D.C. Code; D.C. Act 26-217) was the subject of a congressional disapproval resolution (H.J. Res. 142, Public Law 119-78, Feb. 18, 2026) whose validity DC contested; the temporary law's 225-day term ended Sept. 25, 2026. The FY2027 Budget Support Act re-enacts a narrower decoupling and is itself subject to congressional review - check OTR before filing.
- Additional standard deduction for age 65+ or blind follows federal amounts ($1,650 per condition, $2,050 if unmarried, for 2026).
- For tax years 2026-2028 the FY2027 Budget Support Act lets DC taxpayers claim the federal-style deductions for qualified tips, overtime, car-loan interest and the $6,000 senior deduction (these were not allowed for 2025); the federal above-the-line charitable deduction for non-itemizers must be added back.
- DC has no personal exemptions (repealed). Itemizers cannot deduct state and local income or sales taxes. Under the FY2027 Budget Support Act the DC earned income tax credit for 2026-2028 is 85% of the federal EITC (it was 100% for 2025).
- DC cannot tax nonresidents' wages: people who work in DC but live in Maryland or Virginia pay income tax to their home state only.
District of Columbia take-home pay by salary
Single filer, paid every two weeks, 2026 rules, standard deduction and no pre-tax deductions; includes District of Columbia income tax but not local taxes.
| Salary | Federal income tax | Social Security + Medicare | District of Columbia income tax | Take-home per year | Per bi-weekly paycheck |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $2,620 | $3,060 | $1,300 | $33,020 | $1,270.00 |
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $3,825 | $1,900 | $40,455 | $1,555.96 |
| $60,000 | $5,020 | $4,590 | $2,525 | $47,865 | $1,840.96 |
| $75,000 | $7,670 | $5,738 | $3,500 | $58,093 | $2,234.33 |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $7,650 | $5,625 | $73,555 | $2,829.04 |
| $150,000 | $24,734 | $11,475 | $9,875 | $103,916 | $3,996.77 |
Hourly wages after taxes in the District of Columbia
Full-time (40 hours a week, 2,080 hours a year), no overtime, single filer:
| Hourly wage | Annual pay | Weekly take-home | Bi-weekly take-home | Take-home per year | Take-home per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $31,200 | $509.18 | $1,018.35 | $26,477 | $12.73 |
| $20.00 | $41,600 | $657.88 | $1,315.75 | $34,210 | $16.45 |
| $25.00 | $52,000 | $806.58 | $1,613.15 | $41,942 | $20.16 |
| $30.00 | $62,400 | $954.57 | $1,909.13 | $49,637 | $23.86 |
District of Columbia vs. neighboring states
Take-home pay on a $75,000 salary (single, bi-weekly), with the difference from the District of Columbia. Federal taxes are identical in every state, so the gaps come from state income tax. On a $75,000 salary, the District of Columbia ranks #45 of 51 (50 states and DC) for take-home pay. Nationally, take-home pay on $75,000 ranges from $56,538 in Oregon to $61,593 in states without a wage tax; the median is $59,005.
| State | State income tax | Take-home per year | Per bi-weekly paycheck | vs. District of Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $3,500 | $58,093 | $2,234.33 | — |
| Maryland | $3,197 | $58,396 | $2,246.00 | +$304 |
| Virginia | $3,498 | $58,094 | $2,234.39 | +$2 |
Neighboring state calculators: Maryland, Virginia. See all 50 states and DC on the national paycheck calculator.
How your District of Columbia paycheck is calculated
- Gross pay for the year is your salary, or your hourly wage × hours × 52 plus overtime at 1.5×.
- Pre-tax deductions such as a traditional 401(k), health premiums and HSA contributions are subtracted before federal income tax.
- Federal income tax uses the 2026 brackets, your filing status’s standard deduction ($16,100 single) and credits for children and other dependents.
- Social Security and Medicare take 6.2% (up to $184,500 of wages) and 1.45%.
- District of Columbia income tax is figured on the annual amount using the rules above, then divided across your paychecks.
We divide the annual totals by your number of paychecks, which is how a correctly completed 2026 Form W-4 is designed to withhold. Your employer’s withholding tables may differ by a few dollars per check. For your full-year tax bill, use the income tax calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much is $75,000 a year after taxes in the District of Columbia?
A single filer earning $75,000 in the District of Columbia takes home about $58,093 a year in 2026, or $2,234.33 per bi-weekly paycheck. That is after $7,670 of federal income tax, $5,738 of Social Security and Medicare and $3,500 of District of Columbia income tax. Pre-tax 401(k) or health deductions would lower your taxes but also your take-home pay.
Does the District of Columbia have a state income tax?
Yes. The District of Columbia has a graduated income tax with rates from 4% to 10.75% for single filers in 2026. On a $75,000 salary, that works out to about $3,500 a year, or $134.62 per bi-weekly paycheck, an effective state rate of 4.67% of gross pay. Employers withhold it from each paycheck along with federal taxes.
How much is $20 an hour after taxes in the District of Columbia?
Full time (40 hours a week), $20 an hour is $41,600 a year. After 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare and District of Columbia income tax, a single filer in the District of Columbia takes home about $34,210 a year, or $1,315.75 per bi-weekly paycheck, about $16.45 per hour worked.
How does take-home pay in the District of Columbia compare with nearby states?
On a $75,000 salary (single, bi-weekly), take-home pay is $58,093 a year in the District of Columbia. In neighboring states it ranges from $58,094 to $58,396; Maryland (the highest nearby) is $304 higher. Federal taxes are the same everywhere, so the gap comes entirely from state income tax.
How much federal tax comes out of each paycheck on a $75,000 salary?
Federal taxes don’t depend on the state. For a single filer paid every two weeks on $75,000, about $295.00 of federal income tax, $178.85 of Social Security (6.2%) and $41.83 of Medicare (1.45%) come out of each 2026 paycheck, based on the $16,100 standard deduction. Children, pre-tax deductions and W-4 choices change the federal amount.