Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Median $11.65 an hour in Texas · 329,590 jobs
Texas · 2026 take-home pay
$12 an hour after taxes in Texas
At $12 an hour in Texas you keep about $10.66 of every hour — $426 a week, $1,847 a month or $22,165 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare. Texas has no income tax on wages, 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 |
| Take-home pay | $22,165 | $426 | $10.66 |
Effective tax rate 11.2% · federal bracket 10% · no state income tax on wages.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $480.00 | $426.24 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $960.00 | $852.48 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,040.00 | $923.52 |
| Monthly (12) | $2,080.00 | $1,847.05 |
$12 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Texas 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 | $222 | $11,525 |
| 30 hours a week | $360 | $327 | $17,026 |
| 40 hours a week | $480 | $426 | $22,165 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $570 | $500 | $25,996 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $660 | $572 | $29,756 |
*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 Texas?
- Minimum wage: $12 an hour is 1.7 times Texas's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
- Among Texas workers: It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in Texas (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median is $23.38 an hour.
- Local prices: Texas's price level is 97.1% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $22,165 a year buys about what $22,837 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 $924 a month for needs, $554 for wants and $369 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Texas that pay about $12 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Texas is within 4% of $12 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Cooks, Short Order
Median $12.18 an hour in Texas · 7,540 jobs
Gambling Dealers
Median $12.06 an hour in Texas · 560 jobs
How Texas compares on $12 an hour
Texas ranks tied for 1st of 51 (with 8 others) 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 Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $10.66 | $22,165 | $7.25 | — |
| Arkansas | $10.44 | $21,717 | $11.00 | −$448 a year |
| Louisiana | $10.48 | $21,802 | $7.25 | −$363 a year |
| New Mexico | $10.56 | $21,975 | $12.00 | −$190 a year |
| Oklahoma | $10.38 | $21,587 | $7.25 | −$578 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 |
Common questions
How much is $12 an hour after taxes in Texas?
About $10.66 for every hour you work, or $22,165 a year at 40 hours a week ($24,960 gross). Taxes take about 11.2% 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 Texas?
About $426 a week at 40 hours, from $480 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $852.
How much is $12 an hour a month after taxes in Texas?
About $1,847 a month at 40 hours a week, from $2,080 gross.
Is $12 an hour good pay in Texas?
$12 an hour is 1.7 times Texas's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. It's below the 10th percentile of hourly pay in Texas (BLS, May 2025) — fewer than about 1 in 10 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Texas is $23.38. After taxes and local prices, $22,165 a year buys about what $22,837 would at national-average prices.
Is Texas a high-tax state for $12 an hour?
It ranks tied for 1st of 51 (with 8 others) 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 Texas, Florida, North Dakota; 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 (methodology). Texas doesn't tax wages. 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.