How Cincinnati taxes your pay
Cincinnati taxes pay for work done in the city, and residents on pay earned elsewhere less a credit. Commuters from Northern Kentucky have no Ohio state tax withheld, because Ohio and Kentucky have a reciprocal agreement, but the agreement does not cover city tax.
That makes Cincinnati the main local tax for many Covington and Newport residents, who also pay Kentucky tax at home.
Cincinnati tax rates for 2026
- Cincinnati city income tax: 1.8% of pay for residents, wherever they work; 1.8% for people who live elsewhere, on pay for work done here.
| Salary | Live and work here | Work here, live elsewhere in Ohio | Take-home, living here | Take-home with no local tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $720 | $720 | $32,766 | $33,486 |
| $60,000 | $1,080 | $1,080 | $47,878 | $48,958 |
| $75,000 | $1,350 | $1,350 | $58,362 | $59,712 |
| $100,000 | $1,800 | $1,800 | $74,752 | $76,552 |
| $150,000 | $2,700 | $2,700 | $106,763 | $109,463 |
| $250,000 | $4,500 | $4,500 | $170,954 | $175,454 |
The commuter column assumes a home elsewhere in Ohio with no local tax of its own; a home city or county with its own tax can add to it or credit it.
Worked example: the Ohio median wage in Cincinnati
The median annual wage in Ohio is $49,380: half of all jobs pay more and half pay less, in the Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey for May 2025 (all occupations; survey date May 31, 2025). Paid every two weeks as a single filer, with no 401(k) or benefits, that salary works out like this in Cincinnati, Ohio.
| Line | Each paycheck | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $1,899.23 | $49,380.00 |
| Federal income tax | $144.06 | $3,745.56 |
| Social Security | $117.75 | $3,061.50 |
| Medicare | $27.54 | $716.04 |
| Ohio income tax | $42.86 | $1,114.36 |
| Cincinnati city income tax | $34.19 | $888.94 |
| Take-home pay | $1,532.83 | $39,853.60 |
You keep 80.7% of gross pay. Of the $9,526 withheld, federal income tax is the largest part at $3,746, followed by Social Security at $3,062.
Without the local tax the same salary would leave $40,743 a year in Ohio, so living and working in Cincinnati costs $889 a year, or 1.8% of pay.
Live in Kentucky, work in Cincinnati
On the same $49,380 salary, take-home pay in this case comes to $39,357 a year, $496 less than living and working in Cincinnati.
| Line | Year |
|---|---|
| Ohio income tax | $0 |
| Kentucky income tax | $1,611 |
| Cincinnati city income tax | $889 |
| Take-home pay | $39,357 |
Enter both states in the calculator ("I live in a different state") to run this with your own pay.
Cincinnati paycheck questions
How much is Cincinnati local tax on $75,000 a year?
$1,350 for the year if you live and work in Cincinnati, single and paid every two weeks. That leaves $58,362 after all taxes, against $59,712 with no local tax.
Do I pay Cincinnati tax if I live there but work somewhere else?
Yes. Cincinnati taxes residents on their pay wherever they work.
What is the Ohio median wage after tax in Cincinnati?
The median wage in Ohio is $49,380 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). Living and working in Cincinnati, that leaves $39,854 a year after federal, Ohio, FICA and $889 of local tax.
What does a paycheck look like in Cincinnati?
At the Ohio median wage, paid every two weeks, each paycheck is $1,899.23 before tax and $1,532.83 after it. $34.19 of that goes to Cincinnati, next to $144.06 of federal income tax and $42.86 for Ohio.
How much Cincinnati tax is withheld on $250,000?
$4,500 for the year living and working there, which leaves $170,954 after every tax, against $175,454 with no local tax.
What if I live in Kentucky and work in Cincinnati?
On $49,380, take-home pay comes to $39,357 a year, against $39,854 living and working in Cincinnati. Enter both states in the calculator to see each line.
Sources
Rules checked . How we calculate.