Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Median $20.91 an hour in Iowa · 30,890 jobs
Iowa · 2026 take-home pay
$21 an hour after taxes in Iowa
At $21 an hour in Iowa you keep about $17.44 of every hour — $697 a week, $3,022 a month or $36,269 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Iowa income tax. Iowa has a flat 3.8% income tax, and its minimum wage is $7.25 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 |
| Iowa income tax | −$1,008 | −$19 | −$0.48 |
| Take-home pay | $36,269 | $697 | $17.44 |
Effective tax rate 17% · federal bracket 12% · Iowa bracket 3.8%.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $840.00 | $697.48 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,680.00 | $1,394.96 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,820.00 | $1,511.20 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,640.00 | $3,022.40 |
$21 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Iowa 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 | $373 | $19,417 |
| 30 hours a week | $630 | $537 | $27,910 |
| 40 hours a week | $840 | $697 | $36,269 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $998 | $818 | $42,538 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,155 | $939 | $48,808 |
*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 Iowa?
- Minimum wage: $21 an hour is 2.9 times Iowa's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
- Among Iowa workers: It's about the 40th percentile of hourly pay in Iowa (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 40 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $23.34 an hour.
- Local prices: Iowa's price level is 87.8% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $36,269 a year buys about what $41,326 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 $1,511 a month for needs, $907 for wants and $604 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Iowa that pay about $21 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Iowa is within 4% of $21 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Office Clerks, General
Median $21.30 an hour in Iowa · 23,120 jobs
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
Median $21.71 an hour in Iowa · 12,830 jobs
Light Truck Drivers
Median $20.56 an hour in Iowa · 9,680 jobs
Social and Human Service Assistants
Median $20.42 an hour in Iowa · 5,230 jobs
Pharmacy Technicians
Median $21.57 an hour in Iowa · 4,630 jobs
How Iowa compares on $21 an hour
Iowa ranks 16th of 51 for take-home pay on $21 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs Iowa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $17.44 | $36,269 | $7.25 | — |
| Illinois | $16.95 | $35,260 | $15.00 | −$1,009 a year |
| Minnesota | $17.10 | $35,566 | $11.41 | −$703 a year |
| Missouri | $17.39 | $36,161 | $15.00 | −$108 a year |
| Nebraska | $17.39 | $36,169 | $15.00 | −$100 a year |
| South Dakota | $17.92 | $37,277 | $11.85 | +$1,008 a year |
| Wisconsin | $17.31 | $36,012 | $7.25 | −$257 a year |
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 Iowa income tax on $43,680 ($21 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $43,680 of Iowa wages minus $16,100 standard deduction = $27,580.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 3.8% | $27,580 | $1,048 |
| Personal credits | — | −$40 |
| Total | $27,580 | $1,008 |
Common questions
How much is $21 an hour after taxes in Iowa?
About $17.44 for every hour you work, or $36,269 a year at 40 hours a week ($43,680 gross). Taxes take about 17% 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 Iowa?
About $697 a week at 40 hours, from $840 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,395.
How much is $21 an hour a month after taxes in Iowa?
About $3,022 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,640 gross.
Is $21 an hour good pay in Iowa?
$21 an hour is 2.9 times Iowa's minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. It's about the 40th percentile of hourly pay in Iowa (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 40 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Iowa is $23.34. After taxes and local prices, $36,269 a year buys about what $41,326 would at national-average prices.
Is Iowa a high-tax state for $21 an hour?
It ranks 16th 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 Iowa
- $17 an hour in Iowa
- $18 an hour in Iowa
- $19 an hour in Iowa
- $20 an hour in Iowa
- $22 an hour in Iowa
- $23 an hour in Iowa
- $24 an hour in Iowa
- $25 an hour in Iowa
$21 an hour in every state · $40,000 a year in Iowa · $45,000 a year in Iowa · Iowa paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Iowa'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.