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Colorado · tax year 2026

Denver paycheck calculator

People in Denver pay a local income tax of $5.75 a month on top of Colorado income tax. On $85,000 a year, a single person takes home about $65,153, or $2,505.89 every two weeks.

How often you are paid
Retirement and benefits 401(k), HSA, health insurance

A 403(b), 457 or TSP works the same way as a 401(k) here. Amounts below are for the whole year.

Bonus, tips and overtime including the new federal deductions
W-4 and other details second job, extra withholding, contractor
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Estimated take-home pay · 2026

Biweekly pay · Single · Denver, Colorado

Example

$2,505.89 per paycheck

from $3,269.23 before taxes · 26 paychecks a year

You keep$76.65of every $100 earned
Taxes take23.3%of gross pay, $19,847 a year
Of your next $1,000$655is yours to keep
After tax, an hour is worth$31.32at 2,080 paid hours a year

Where each dollar goes

  • Take-home pay76.7%$65,153
  • Federal income tax11.6%$9,870
  • Social Security and Medicare7.6%$6,503
  • State taxes4.0%$3,406
  • Local taxes0.1%$69

Line by line

Per paycheckPer year

Pay

Gross pay$3,269.23$85,000

Taxes

Federal income tax$379.62$9,870

2026 brackets after the $16,100 standard deduction, worked out for the year and spread over your paychecks. IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32

Social Security$202.69$5,270

6.2% of wages up to $184,500. Traditional 401(k) contributions do not reduce it. SSA wage base · 2026

Medicare$47.40$1,233

1.45% of wages, with no cap. IRS Pub. 15 · 2026

Colorado income tax$116.60$3,032

Colorado taxes federal taxable income at a flat 4.4%. Paid family and medical leave (FAMLI) is a separate paycheck line. Colorado · 2026

Colorado FAMLI$14.38$374

Colorado paid family and medical leave. The 2026 employee share is 0.44% of wages up to the $184,500 Social Security wage base. CO FAMLI · 2026

Denver$2.65$69

A flat $5.75 a month for people who work in Denver. It is not a percent of pay. Denver occupational privilege tax · $5.75 a month

Take-home pay$2,505.89$65,153

Tap a line to see how it was worked out. Each paycheck is the year's figure divided by 26 and rounded to the cent.

Show the math

Federal income tax for the year

Wages$85,000.00
Standard deduction−$16,100.00
Taxable income$68,900.00
Tax from the 2026 brackets$9,870.00
Federal income tax$9,870.00

Colorado income tax for the year

Wages taxed by the state$85,000.00
Standard deduction−$16,100.00
Taxable income$68,900.00
Tax from the rate schedule$3,031.60
Colorado income tax$3,031.60
Sources for these figures

What if

A $5,000 raise+$3,275 a yearYou keep $66 of each extra $100.
1% more into a 401(k)$850 saved a yearTake-home falls by only $24.06 a paycheck, because the tax bill drops too.
A $5,000 bonus$3,275 after taxEmployers often withhold more than this up front; the difference comes back at tax time.
+$3,475 a yearTexas, with no city tax. Compare side by side

Estimate for tax year 2026. Your real paycheck depends on your W-4, your benefits and your employer's payroll system. This is education, not tax, payroll or financial advice.

Take-home pay in Denver by salary

Single filer living in Denver, no dependents, no retirement or benefit deductions. Tax year 2026.
SalaryFederal income taxSocial Security and MedicareState income taxState payrollLocal taxTake-home a yearA monthEvery 2 weeks
$30,000$1,420$2,295$612$132$69$25,472$2,123$979.71
$40,000$2,620$3,060$1,052$176$69$33,023$2,752$1,270.13
$50,000$3,820$3,825$1,492$220$69$40,574$3,381$1,560.57
$60,000$5,020$4,590$1,932$264$69$48,125$4,010$1,850.98
$75,000$7,670$5,738$2,592$330$69$58,602$4,883$2,253.92
$100,000$13,170$7,650$3,692$440$69$74,979$6,248$2,883.83
$150,000$24,734$11,475$5,892$660$69$107,170$8,931$4,121.95
$200,000$36,734$14,339$8,092$812$69$139,955$11,663$5,382.87

The Denver local income tax

Denver charges employees who work in the city and earn at least $500 in a month an occupational privilege tax of $5.75 a month ($69 a year). It is a flat amount, not a percent of pay, and it is owed by where you work, not where you live.

Denver's only charge on employees is a flat occupational privilege tax of a few dollars a month for people who work in the city.

  • Denver: $69 a year on $85,000 ($5.75 a month)

For a single person on $85,000, that is $69 a year on top of state and federal tax: about $2.65 from each biweekly paycheck.

Source: City and County of Denver, Tax Guide Topic 61: Occupational Privilege Taxes. Last checked October 11, 2026.

Colorado taxes in Denver

Colorado taxes federal taxable income at a flat 4.4%. Paid family and medical leave (FAMLI) is a separate paycheck line. Elsewhere in Colorado, with no local tax, the same $85,000 leaves $65,222.

Colorado paycheck calculator and tax rates

Denver against other cities

Single person earning $85,000 a year and living in each place. Taxes only; living costs are not counted.
PlaceState taxesLocal taxTake-home a yearAgainst Denver
Denver$3,406$69$65,153
New York City$4,391$2,860$61,376−$3,776
Los Angeles$4,621$0$64,007−$1,146
Chicago$4,063$0$64,565−$588
Houston$0$0$68,628+$3,475
Phoenix$1,731$0$66,896+$1,743
Philadelphia$2,669$3,175$62,784−$2,369
Seattle$1,179$0$67,448+$2,296

Compare Denver with anywhere else · All cities

Denver paycheck questions

How much is $60,000 a year after taxes in Denver?

About $48,125 a year, or $4,010 a month, for a single person with no other deductions. Federal income tax takes $5,020, Social Security and Medicare $4,590, Colorado income tax $1,932, state payroll programs $264 and the local tax $69.

Does Denver have a city income tax?

Yes: $5.75 a month. On $85,000 a year it comes to $69.

What taxes come out of a paycheck in Denver?

Federal income tax, Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%), Colorado income tax (4.4% flat), Colorado FAMLI, and the Denver local tax.

Sources

Figures last checked on October 11, 2026. If something looks wrong, tell us.

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