Arizona Paycheck Calculator
Estimate your Arizona take-home pay. Arizona has a flat 2.5% state income tax for 2026 — the lowest rate in the nation among states that tax wages. AZ conforms to the federal standard deduction ($16,100 single / $32,200 married for TY2026) and has no local income tax in Phoenix, Tucson, or anywhere else in the state.
How to use this calculator
- Type your gross pay per paycheck — what you earn before any tax or deduction comes out.
- Pick your pay frequency (biweekly is the default — it's the most common).
- Set your federal filing status (Single or Married Filing Jointly).
- If you contribute to a traditional 401(k), enter the percentage. Add any pre-tax health or HSA deductions per paycheck.
- The result updates as you go. Use Share link to send your numbers to someone else without retyping them.
A real example: a $60,000 salary in Phoenix
Say you take a $60,000-a-year job in Phoenix, paid every two weeks, single, no 401(k). That's $2,307.69 gross per paycheck. The math goes like this for the year:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | $60,000.00 |
| Federal income tax (after the $16,100 federal standard deduction) | −$5,020.00 |
| Social Security (6.2% up to $184,500) | −$3,720.00 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | −$870.00 |
| Arizona tax (2.5% × ($60,000 − $16,100 federal SD)) | −$1,097.50 |
| Take-home for the year | $49,292.50 |
| Take-home per biweekly check | $1,895.87 |
About 18% of your gross goes to federal, FICA, and AZ state tax combined — one of the lowest combined rates in the country. Arizona's 2.5% rate is the result of a 2022 reform that consolidated the previous progressive brackets (2.59% to 4.5%) into a single flat rate. The state hits the same percentage at $30k and at $30M, which makes Arizona one of the most tax-friendly destinations for high earners.
Now add a 5% traditional 401(k) and $200/month in pre-tax health premiums on a $120,000 salary, married, paid monthly: gross $10,000/mo, $500 to the 401(k), $200 to health. AZ follows federal — both pre-tax items reduce AZ taxable income, plus the federal SD doubles to $32,200 for MFJ. The state tax for the year runs about $1,985, and your monthly take-home lands around $7,635.
How a Arizona paycheck is calculated
Arizona uses a flat tax for 2026. The formula is:
A few Arizona-specific details worth knowing:
- 2.5% is the lowest in the nation. Arizona is one of 14 flat-tax states, and the only one at 2.5%. The next lowest are Indiana (2.95%) and Pennsylvania (3.07%). Only the 9 no-tax states (TX, FL, NV, TN, WA, SD, WY, AK, NH for wages) come in lower.
- AZ uses the federal standard deduction. Unlike states with their own standard deduction (NC's $12,750, GA's $12,000), Arizona conforms to whatever the IRS publishes — $16,100 single / $32,200 MFJ for 2026. This makes AZ's effective rate lower than the headline 2.5% suggests.
- 401(k) and pre-tax both reduce AZ tax. Arizona follows federal treatment — traditional 401(k) and Section 125 items lower your AZ taxable income.
- No local income tax anywhere in Arizona. Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler — none collect income tax. The 2.5% state rate is your total income tax.
- Long-term capital gains get a 25% subtraction. Not modeled here (this is a wage calculator), but worth knowing — Arizona allows a 25% deduction on long-term capital gains from assets acquired after 12/31/2011, lowering the effective rate on LTCG to 1.875%.
What Arizona paychecks look like at common salaries (single, no 401k)
| Annual salary | Federal tax | FICA | AZ tax (2.5%) | Net per year | Net per biweekly check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $2,620.00 | $3,060.00 | $597.50 | $33,722.50 | $1,297.02 |
| $50,000 | $3,820.00 | $3,825.00 | $847.50 | $41,507.50 | $1,596.44 |
| $60,000 | $5,020.00 | $4,590.00 | $1,097.50 | $49,292.50 | $1,895.87 |
| $75,000 | $7,670.00 | $5,737.50 | $1,472.50 | $60,120.00 | $2,312.31 |
| $100,000 | $13,170.00 | $7,650.00 | $2,097.50 | $77,082.50 | $2,964.71 |
| $150,000 | $24,734.00 | $11,475.00 | $3,347.50 | $110,443.50 | $4,247.83 |
Numbers above are estimates with the 2026 standard deduction, single filer, no 401(k) or pre-tax deductions. Your actual withholding will differ based on your W-4.
Tips to take home more
- Max out pre-tax benefits first. Health insurance, HSA, and FSA dollars reduce both your federal tax and FICA — that's a roughly 22–28% discount on those expenses for most people.
- A 401(k) is real money, not a deduction. A 5% contribution on $60k is $3,000 the IRS doesn't see right now. You're not losing it — you're moving it.
- Check your W-4 if your refund or bill is large. A big refund means you overpaid all year; a big bill means you underpaid. Either way, the IRS withholding estimator at irs.gov/W4App helps fix it.
- Track the Social Security cap. If you'll cross $184,500 this year, your last few checks will be noticeably bigger — useful to know if you're planning big purchases.
Frequently asked questions
What is Arizona's state income tax rate in 2026?
Arizona has a flat 2.5% state income tax for 2026 — the lowest rate in the nation among states that tax wages. The flat rate took effect in 2023 after a 2022 reform consolidated the previous progressive brackets (2.59% to 4.5%) into a single rate.
How much of a $60,000 salary do you take home in Arizona?
A single filer earning $60,000 in Arizona with no pre-tax deductions takes home roughly $49,293 a year, or about $1,896 every two weeks. That's $5,020 federal, $4,590 FICA, and just $1,097.50 AZ state tax (2.5% on $43,900 after the $16,100 federal standard deduction).
Does Arizona use its own standard deduction?
No. Arizona conforms to the federal standard deduction — $16,100 single / $32,200 married filing jointly / $24,150 head of household for TY2026. This is unusual; most states either have no standard deduction (Pennsylvania) or set their own (Georgia's $12k, North Carolina's $12,750). Arizona just uses whatever the IRS publishes.
Does Arizona have local income taxes?
No. Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Scottsdale, and every other Arizona city collect zero income tax. The 2.5% state rate is your total income tax in Arizona — making it especially attractive for high earners relative to states like Pennsylvania (Philly 3.75%) or Ohio (600+ local taxes).
Are Social Security and retirement benefits taxed in Arizona?
Social Security is fully exempt at all ages. Other retirement income (pensions, 401(k), IRA distributions) is taxed at the flat 2.5% rate, but Arizona exempts up to $2,500 of U.S. government civil service and Arizona state/local pension income. Active military retirement is fully exempt.
Does this calculator match what my employer withholds?
It gives a close estimate, not an exact match. Employers withhold using IRS Publication 15-T and the full details on your Form W-4 — extra withholding, multiple jobs, dependents, credits. This tool models the standard deduction with a single or married filing status, which is what most people end up close to at tax time.