Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
Median $12.46 an hour in Kentucky · 1,110 jobs
Kentucky · 2026 take-home pay
$12 an hour after taxes in Kentucky
At $12 an hour in Kentucky you keep about $10.29 of every hour — $412 a week, $1,784 a month or $21,409 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Kentucky income tax. Kentucky has a flat 3.5% income tax, and its minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
Where $12 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $24,960 | $480 | $12.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$886 | −$17 | −$0.43 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$1,548 | −$30 | −$0.74 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$362 | −$7 | −$0.17 |
| Kentucky income tax | −$756 | −$15 | −$0.36 |
| Take-home pay | $21,409 | $412 | $10.29 |
Effective tax rate 14.2% · federal bracket 10% · Kentucky bracket 3.5%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $480.00 | $411.70 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $960.00 | $823.41 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,040.00 | $892.02 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,080.00 | $1,784.05 |
$12 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Kentucky for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $12 an hour for hours over 40, as federal law requires for most hourly workers.
| Schedule | Gross a week | Take-home a week | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours a week* | $240 | $216 | $11,206 |
| 30 hours a week | $360 | $317 | $16,488 |
| 40 hours a week | $480 | $412 | $21,409 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $570 | $482 | $25,076 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $660 | $551 | $28,673 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $12 an hour good pay in Kentucky?
- Minimum wage: $12 an hour is 1.7 times Kentucky's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
- Among Kentucky workers: It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in Kentucky (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median is $22.56 an hour.
- Local prices: Kentucky's price level is 90.2% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $21,409 a year buys about what $23,745 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $624 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $892 a month for needs, $535 for wants and $357 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Kentucky that pay about $12 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Kentucky is within 4% of $12 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
How Kentucky compares on $12 an hour
Kentucky ranks 42nd of 51 for take-home pay on $12 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $10.29 | $21,409 | $7.25 | — |
| Illinois | $10.13 | $21,074 | $15.00 | −$335 a year |
| Indiana | $10.32 | $21,458 | $7.25 | +$49 a year |
| Missouri | $10.54 | $21,928 | $15.00 | +$519 a year |
| Ohio | $10.66 | $22,165 | $11.00 | +$756 a year |
| Tennessee | $10.66 | $22,165 | $7.25 | +$756 a year |
| Virginia | $10.35 | $21,531 | $12.77 | +$122 a year |
| West Virginia | $10.38 | $21,589 | $8.75 | +$180 a year |
How the federal tax on $24,960 ($12 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $24,960 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $8,860. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $8,860 | $886 |
| Total | $8,860 | $886 |
How the Kentucky income tax on $24,960 ($12 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $24,960 of Kentucky wages minus $3,360 standard deduction = $21,600.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5% | $21,600 | $756 |
| Total | $21,600 | $756 |
Common questions
How much is $12 an hour after taxes in Kentucky?
About $10.29 for every hour you work, or $21,409 a year at 40 hours a week ($24,960 gross). Taxes take about 14.2% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $12 an hour a week after taxes in Kentucky?
About $412 a week at 40 hours, from $480 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $823.
How much is $12 an hour a month after taxes in Kentucky?
About $1,784 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,080 gross.
Is $12 an hour good pay in Kentucky?
$12 an hour is 1.7 times Kentucky's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in Kentucky (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Kentucky is $22.56. After taxes and local prices, $21,409 a year buys about what $23,745 would at national-average prices.
Is Kentucky a high-tax state for $12 an hour?
It ranks 42nd of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $12 an hour. The most you'd keep is $22,165 a year, in 9 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $20,720 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Kentucky's income tax rules (methodology). Local income taxes are not included. Minimum wages: U.S. Department of Labor. Wage distribution and jobs: BLS OEWS May 2025. Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities.
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- State Minimum Wage Laws — U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Regional Price Parities by State — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed October 14, 2026.