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Covington, Kentucky Paycheck Calculator (2026)

Last reviewed: April 20, 2026

Covington sits in Kenton County across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. It levies a 2.45% occupational license tax on wages earned within city limits, applied to residents and non-residents alike. Combined with Kentucky's 4% flat state tax, a Covington wage earner pays about 6.45% in state plus local income tax, comparable to a Louisville Metro resident. Kentucky has no State Disability Insurance program funded by employee payroll. This calculator estimates 2026 take-home pay for a Covington wage earner after federal tax, FICA, Kentucky state tax, and the Covington occupational license rate. It supports pre-tax 401(k) and HSA deductions.

$85,000 single filer take-home comparison

Covington, Kentucky

$63,100

Kentucky (no city tax)

$65,200

Texas (no income tax)

$68,600

Covington, Kentucky take-home is -$2,100 vs the state-only figure and -$5,500 vs the no-income-tax baseline.

Covington, Kentucky local tax breakdown

Local bracket schedule applied by the calculator for 2026.

Taxable IncomeRate
$0+2.45%

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Covington, Kentucky paycheck FAQ

How does Covington compare to Cincinnati, just across the river?
Covington's 2.45% occupational tax is higher than Cincinnati's 1.8% municipal tax. A worker living in Cincinnati but commuting to Covington owes Kentucky state tax (4%) plus the Covington 2.45% on Kentucky-earned wages, with Ohio offering a credit for taxes paid to other states.
Do Northern Kentucky cities each levy their own occupational tax?
Yes. Covington, Florence, and several other Northern Kentucky cities each set their own occupational license rate. Florence sits at 2%, lower than Covington's 2.45%; Boone and Kenton Counties may also levy county-level taxes.
Does the Bengals stadium or NKU drive different tax treatment?
No. The Bengals stadium sits in Cincinnati (Ohio), so it's subject to Ohio rules. NKU sits in Highland Heights, KY, where the local occupational license rate may differ from Covington. Wages earned at NKU follow that city's rate, not Covington's.

See also

Run the full Kentucky paycheck calculatorCompare to Louisville paycheck calculatorCompare to Lexington, Kentucky paycheck calculatorCompare to Bowling Green, Kentucky paycheck calculatorCompare to Owensboro paycheck calculatorCompare to Florence, Kentucky paycheck calculatorCompare to Henderson County, Kentucky paycheck calculatorCompare to Hopkinsville paycheck calculatorCompare to Frankfort, Kentucky paycheck calculatorCompare to Elizabethtown, Kentucky paycheck calculatorBrowse all city paycheck calculatorsBrowse paycheck calculators by statePaycheck and tax glossaryHow we calculate paycheck taxes

Reviewed

How This Page Is Reviewed

The Covington, Kentucky paycheck page is reviewed against primary federal, state, and city sources before each major tax-year update. Source links below are the references used to validate brackets, wage bases, and supported local taxes.

Reviewed by

PaycheckCalc Research Desk

Last reviewed

2026-04-20