Illinois · 2026 take-home pay

$12 an hour after taxes in Illinois

At $12 an hour in Illinois you keep about $10.13 of every hour — $405 a week, $1,756 a month or $21,074 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Illinois income tax. Illinois has a flat 4.95% income tax, and its minimum wage is $15.00 an hour.

By Work & Money Editorial Team · Last reviewed October 14, 2026

Where $12 an hour goes

$12 an hour full time in Illinois, single filer, 2026
A yearA weekAn 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
Illinois income tax−$1,091−$21−$0.52
Take-home pay$21,074$405$10.13

Effective tax rate 15.6% · federal bracket 10% · Illinois bracket 4.95%.

Take-home per paycheck

40 hours a week, different pay schedules
PaidGrossTake-home
Weekly (52 paychecks)$480.00$405.27
Every two weeks (26)$960.00$810.53
Twice a month (24)$1,040.00$878.08
Monthly (12)$2,080.00$1,756.15

Change hours, overtime and deductions

$12 an hour at different hours

Take-home in Illinois 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.

$12 an hour in Illinois: weekly hours and take-home, 2026
ScheduleGross a weekTake-home a weekTake-home a year
20 hours a week*$240$213$11,052
30 hours a week$360$312$16,244
40 hours a week$480$405$21,074
40 hours + 5 overtime$570$474$24,673
40 hours + 10 overtime$660$542$28,202

*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 Illinois?

  • Minimum wage: $12 an hour is below Illinois's minimum wage of $15.00 an hour, so most employers there can't pay it. Employers with 4 or more employees. Chicago sets a higher minimum.
  • Among Illinois workers: It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in Illinois (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median is $24.98 an hour.
  • Local prices: Illinois's price level is 100% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $21,074 a year buys about what $21,083 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 $878 a month for needs, $527 for wants and $351 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.

How Illinois compares on $12 an hour

Illinois ranks 49th of 51 for take-home pay on $12 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.

Take-home on $12 an hour, 40 hours a week, single filer, 2026
StateAfter tax, per hourA yearMinimum wagevs Illinois
Illinois$10.13$21,074$15.00—
Iowa$10.51$21,868$7.25+$794 a year
Indiana$10.32$21,458$7.25+$384 a year
Kentucky$10.29$21,409$7.25+$335 a year
Missouri$10.54$21,928$15.00+$854 a year
Wisconsin$10.47$21,784$7.25+$710 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:

2026 federal income tax by bracket, single filer
RateIncome in this bracketTax
10%$8,860$886
Total$8,860$886

How the Illinois income tax on $24,960 ($12 an hour) is worked out

Taxable income is $24,960 of Illinois wages minus $2,925 in exemptions = $22,035.

Illinois income tax by bracket, single filer, 2026 rules
RateIncome in this bracketTax
4.95%$22,035$1,091
Total$22,035$1,091

Common questions

How much is $12 an hour after taxes in Illinois?

About $10.13 for every hour you work, or $21,074 a year at 40 hours a week ($24,960 gross). Taxes take about 15.6% 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 Illinois?

About $405 a week at 40 hours, from $480 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $811.

How much is $12 an hour a month after taxes in Illinois?

About $1,756 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,080 gross.

Is $12 an hour good pay in Illinois?

$12 an hour is below Illinois's minimum wage of $15.00 an hour, so most employers there can't pay it. It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in Illinois (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Illinois is $24.98. After taxes and local prices, $21,074 a year buys about what $21,083 would at national-average prices.

Is Illinois a high-tax state for $12 an hour?

It ranks 49th 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.

Sources and method

Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Illinois'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.

  1. Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  2. State Minimum Wage Laws — U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  3. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 14, 2026.
  4. Regional Price Parities by State — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed October 14, 2026.