Home Health and Personal Care Aides
Median $20.53 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 12,810 jobs
Washington, D.C. · 2026 take-home pay
$21 an hour after taxes in Washington, D.C.
At $21 an hour in Washington, D.C. you keep about $17.22 of every hour — $689 a week, $2,985 a month or $35,822 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Washington, D.C. income tax. Washington, D.C. has a graduated income tax, and its minimum wage is $18.40 an hour.
Where $21 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $43,680 | $840 | $21.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$3,062 | −$59 | −$1.47 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,708 | −$52 | −$1.30 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$633 | −$12 | −$0.30 |
| Washington, D.C. income tax | −$1,455 | −$28 | −$0.70 |
| Take-home pay | $35,822 | $689 | $17.22 |
Effective tax rate 18% · federal bracket 12% · Washington, D.C. bracket 6%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $840.00 | $688.89 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,680.00 | $1,377.77 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,820.00 | $1,492.59 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,640.00 | $2,985.17 |
$21 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Washington, D.C. for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $21 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* | $420 | $372 | $19,366 |
| 30 hours a week | $630 | $533 | $27,703 |
| 40 hours a week | $840 | $689 | $35,822 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $998 | $806 | $41,911 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,155 | $923 | $47,981 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $21 an hour good pay in Washington, D.C.?
- Minimum wage: $21 an hour is 1.1 times Washington, D.C.'s minimum wage of $18.40 an hour. From July 1, 2026.
- Among Washington, D.C. workers: It's about the 14th percentile of hourly pay in Washington, D.C. (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 14 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $44.01 an hour.
- Local prices: Washington, D.C.'s price level is 109.9% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $35,822 a year buys about what $32,595 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,092 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,493 a month for needs, $896 for wants and $597 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Washington, D.C. that pay about $21 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Washington, D.C. is within 4% of $21 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
Median $20.32 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 3,800 jobs
Cooks, Fast Food
Median $21.48 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 2,760 jobs
Cooks, Short Order
Median $20.41 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 1,910 jobs
Bakers
Median $21.17 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 1,270 jobs
Animal Caretakers
Median $21.25 an hour in Washington, D.C. · 460 jobs
How Washington, D.C. compares on $21 an hour
Washington, D.C. ranks 36th of 51 for take-home pay on $21 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
How the federal tax on $43,680 ($21 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $43,680 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $27,580. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $15,180 | $1,822 |
| Total | $27,580 | $3,062 |
How the Washington, D.C. income tax on $43,680 ($21 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $43,680 of D.C. wages minus $16,100 standard deduction = $27,580.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 4% | $10,000 | $400 |
| 6% | $17,580 | $1,055 |
| Total | $27,580 | $1,455 |
Common questions
How much is $21 an hour after taxes in Washington, D.C.?
About $17.22 for every hour you work, or $35,822 a year at 40 hours a week ($43,680 gross). Taxes take about 18% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $21 an hour a week after taxes in Washington, D.C.?
About $689 a week at 40 hours, from $840 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,378.
How much is $21 an hour a month after taxes in Washington, D.C.?
About $2,985 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,640 gross.
Is $21 an hour good pay in Washington, D.C.?
$21 an hour is 1.1 times Washington, D.C.'s minimum wage of $18.40 an hour. It's about the 14th percentile of hourly pay in Washington, D.C. (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 14 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Washington, D.C. is $44.01. After taxes and local prices, $35,822 a year buys about what $32,595 would at national-average prices.
Is Washington, D.C. a high-tax place for $21 an hour?
It ranks 36th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $21 an hour. The most you'd keep is $37,277 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $34,254 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Washington, D.C.
- $17 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $18 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $19 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $20 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $22 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $23 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $24 an hour in Washington, D.C.
- $25 an hour in Washington, D.C.
$21 an hour in every state · $40,000 a year in Washington, D.C. · $45,000 a year in Washington, D.C. · Washington, D.C. paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Washington, D.C.'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.