$21/hr After Taxes in West Virginia (WV)
Here is your real take-home pay on $21.00/hr in West Virginia for the 2026 tax year. This breakdown reflects the 5% state tax reduction under SB 392, mandatory FICA, overtime pay (1.5×), and municipal city service fees.
The short answer
Earning $21.00/hr in West Virginia at 40 hours per week leaves a single filer approximately $17.36 per hour in take-home pay. That works out to roughly $694.22 per week, $1,388.44 bi-weekly, or $36,099 per year after federal income tax, West Virginia progressive state tax (2.11%–4.58%), and FICA (7.65%). The effective tax rate is about 17.4%.
Annual salary equivalent: $43,680 / year
At $21.00/hr, you gross $43,680 annually. Compare this with our dedicated $45,000 after taxes in West Virginia guide, or run custom overtime and pre-tax deductions in the WV Take-Home Pay Calculator.
$21/hr Overtime Pay in West Virginia (1.5× Rate: $31.50/hr)
West Virginia wage laws mandate that non-exempt hourly employees receive 1.5 times their regular rate for hours worked over 40. Here is how working overtime at $31.50/hr increases your weekly paycheck:
| Work Schedule | Total Hours | Gross Weekly | Net Weekly Take-Home | Take-Home Increase | Average Net / Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Full-Time (No Overtime) | 40 hrs | $840.00 | $694.22 | — | $17.36/hr |
| 40 Regular + 5 Overtime Hours+5 hrs OT | 45 hrs | $997.50 | $814.13 | +$119.90/wk | $18.09/hr |
| 40 Regular + 10 Overtime Hours+10 hrs OT | 50 hrs | $1,155.00 | $934.03 | +$239.81/wk | $18.68/hr |
| 40 Regular + 15 Overtime Hours+15 hrs OT | 55 hrs | $1,312.50 | $1,050.14 | +$355.92/wk | $19.09/hr |
Overtime calculations accurately factor in federal and West Virginia graduated marginal tax brackets for each earnings threshold.
$21/hr Take-Home Pay Across West Virginia Cities
Certain West Virginia municipalities withhold a mandatory flat weekly City Service Fee (User Fee) on workers physically working within city limits:
| City | City Service Fee | Net / Hour | Net Weekly | Net Bi-Weekly | Annual Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beckley | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Bluefield | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Bridgeport | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Buckhannon | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Charles Town | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Charleston | $3.00/week User Fee | $17.28 | $691.22 | $1,382.44 | $35,943 |
| Clarksburg | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Dunbar | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Elkins | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Fairmont | $2.00/week User Fee | $17.31 | $692.22 | $1,384.44 | $35,995 |
| Huntington | $5.00/week User Fee | $17.23 | $689.22 | $1,378.44 | $35,839 |
| Hurricane | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Lewisburg | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Martinsburg | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Morgantown | $3.00/week User Fee | $17.28 | $691.22 | $1,382.44 | $35,943 |
| Nitro | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Oak Hill | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Parkersburg | $2.50/week User Fee | $17.29 | $691.72 | $1,383.44 | $35,969 |
| Princeton | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Ranson | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| South Charleston | $3.00/week User Fee | $17.28 | $691.22 | $1,382.44 | $35,943 |
| St. Albans | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Teays Valley | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Vienna | 0% (No local fee) | $17.36 | $694.22 | $1,388.44 | $36,099 |
| Weirton | $2.00/week User Fee | $17.31 | $692.22 | $1,384.44 | $35,995 |
| Wheeling | $2.00/week User Fee | $17.31 | $692.22 | $1,384.44 | $35,995 |
Assumes a single filer claiming 1 personal exemption allowance ($2,000) on Form IT-104. Working in Charleston ($3/wk) or Huntington ($5/wk) reduces your net wage slightly to fund municipal roads and public safety.
WV Paycheck Calculator FAQ & Tax Answers
At $21.00/hr working a standard 40-hour workweek (2,080 hours per year), your gross annual income is $43,680. In West Virginia, a single filer claiming 1 Form IT-104 personal exemption allowance keeps roughly $17.36 per hour after taxes — yielding about $694.22 per week, $1,388.44 bi-weekly, or $3,008 per month before municipal user fees.
Under the West Virginia Minimum Wage and Maximum Hours Law (W. Va. Code § 21-5C-3), non-exempt employees must be paid 1.5 times their regular hourly rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. At $21.00/hr, your overtime pay rate is $31.50/hr. Working 5 hours of overtime adds +$119.90 to your weekly take-home pay, while 10 hours adds +$239.81.
On a $43,680 annual gross income, deductions include approximately $3,062 in federal income tax, $1,177 in West Virginia state income tax (graduated from 2.11% to 4.58% under SB 392), and $3,342 in FICA (Social Security and Medicare). The combined effective tax rate is approximately 17.4%.
Yes, if you physically work within municipal corporate boundaries of cities that charge a weekly City Service Fee. In Charleston ($3.00/week User Fee), net pay is $691.22/week ($3/wk fee). In Huntington ($5.00/week User Fee), net pay is $689.22/week ($5/wk fee). In cities like Martinsburg, Beckley, or Bridgeport with no municipal fee, you take home the full statewide baseline of $694.22/week.
$21.00/hr at full-time 40 hours per week for 52 weeks is exactly $43,680 per year before taxes. You can compare this with our detailed $45,000 after taxes in West Virginia analysis.
Take-Home Pay for Other Hourly Wages in West Virginia
Compare take-home pay across different hourly wages, or visit our central hourly hub:
- $10/hr after taxes in WV ($10.00/hr)
- $11/hr after taxes in WV ($11.00/hr)
- $12/hr after taxes in WV ($12.00/hr)
- $13/hr after taxes in WV ($13.00/hr)
- $14/hr after taxes in WV ($14.00/hr)
- $15/hr after taxes in WV ($15.00/hr)
- $16/hr after taxes in WV ($16.00/hr)
- $17/hr after taxes in WV ($17.00/hr)
- $18/hr after taxes in WV ($18.00/hr)
- $19/hr after taxes in WV ($19.00/hr)
- $20/hr after taxes in WV ($20.00/hr)
- $22/hr after taxes in WV ($22.00/hr)
- $23/hr after taxes in WV ($23.00/hr)
- $24/hr after taxes in WV ($24.00/hr)
- $25/hr after taxes in WV ($25.00/hr)
- $26/hr after taxes in WV ($26.00/hr)
- $28/hr after taxes in WV ($28.00/hr)
- $30/hr after taxes in WV ($30.00/hr)
- $32/hr after taxes in WV ($32.00/hr)
- $35/hr after taxes in WV ($35.00/hr)
- $40/hr after taxes in WV ($40.00/hr)
- $45/hr after taxes in WV ($45.00/hr)
- $50/hr after taxes in WV ($50.00/hr)
- $55/hr after taxes in WV ($55.00/hr)
- $60/hr after taxes in WV ($60.00/hr)
- $65/hr after taxes in WV ($65.00/hr)
- $70/hr after taxes in WV ($70.00/hr)
- $75/hr after taxes in WV ($75.00/hr)
Sources & references
- West Virginia Personal Income Tax Rate Schedules & SB 392
- Tables for Percentage Method of Withholding (Form IT-100.2A)
- City Service Fee Ordinances (Charleston, Huntington, Morgantown, Parkersburg)
- IRS Publication 15-T: Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods
- West Virginia Wage Payment and Collection Act (W. Va. Code § 21-5-1)