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Everyday money · KY

Kentucky Income Tax Calculator

Estimate your 2026 combined federal and Kentucky income tax — Kentucky adds a flat 3.5% state income tax.

InputsTY-2026
$
$
$
Federal + state tax16.6% effective
$16,552/yr
10% on $12,400$1,240
12% on $38,000$4,560
22% on $33,500$7,370
federal tax subtotal$13,170
KY state tax$3,382
taxable income
$83,900
marginal rate
22.0%
after tax
$83,448

A single filer earning Kentucky's median household income of $64,790 owes about $2,150 in Kentucky state income tax — an effective state rate of 3.32%. That is state tax only, on top of federal income tax and FICA.

Based on 2026 Kentucky rules and 2026 federal rules, with the standard deduction and no other adjustments. Median income is the 2024 Census figure.

Income tax in Kentucky

Kentucky taxes income at a flat 3.5% for tax year 2026, down from 4.0%, with a $3,360 standard deduction per filer. A 2025 law ratified the half-point cut once the state's revenue triggers were met, and the deduction rose $90 with inflation. Many Kentucky cities and counties (including Louisville and Lexington) levy local occupational taxes on wages that are not included here.

Kentucky income tax structure (2026)

Kentucky taxes income at a flat 3.5% after a standard deduction of $3,360 (single). Every taxable dollar is taxed at the same rate, so your marginal and effective state rates converge as income rises.

Common questions

What is Kentucky's income tax rate?
Kentucky taxes income at a flat 3.5% for tax year 2026 — one rate at every income level, with no brackets — applied after a $3,360 standard deduction ($6,720 joint).
What is the tax bill on $64,790 in Kentucky?
A single filer on Kentucky's $64,790 median household income (2024) owes about $2,150 to Kentucky and $5,595 to the IRS — roughly $7,745 of income tax in total, or 12.0% of gross income.
How much income is exempt from Kentucky tax?
The standard deduction shields the first $3,360 of income for a single filer and $6,720 on a joint return, so earnings below that owe no Kentucky income tax. Every dollar above it is taxed at the same 3.5%, saving a single filer about $118 versus no deduction at all.

How we calculate this

Federal brackets per our income-tax methodology, plus Kentucky's 2026 state tax. Estimates only — not tax advice.

Kentucky DOR Announces 2026 Standard Deduction →Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 →

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Estimates for general informational purposes only; not tax advice. Kentucky figures are simplified (credits, local taxes, and AGI adjustments vary) and should be verified with the state Department of Revenue. This estimate does not model the local occupational license taxes most Kentucky cities and counties apply to wages. Kentucky's flat 3.5% is applied with the $3,360 standard deduction for a single filer — not itemized deductions or any Kentucky tax credit.