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Los Angeles Paycheck Calculator (2026)

Enter your annual salary below to see your Los Angeles take-home pay after federal, FICA, and California state tax for 2026.

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Los Angeles does not levy a separate city income tax, so your paycheck math runs California's state schedule (1% to 12.3%, plus a 1% Mental Health Services Tax above $1 million) on top of federal tax, FICA, and California SDI. At $85,000 single, take-home lands at $63,075 per year.

Los Angeles, California's largest city by population and the economic anchor of Southern California, runs paycheck taxes off the state schedule alone. No municipal income tax applies, so the $85,000 single LA worker sees the same state line as a counterpart in San Diego or Sacramento. California state tax climbs progressively from 1% on the first dollar of taxable income to 12.3% on income above the top bracket, plus a 1% Mental Health Services Tax surcharge on income above $1 million. California State Disability Insurance applies to every wage dollar after Senate Bill 951 removed the wage-base cap in 2024; the California SDI line totals $1,105 per year at $85,000. LA's economy spans entertainment (studios, post-production, talent agencies), aerospace (SpaceX, Northrop Grumman), tech (Snap, ByteDance), healthcare (Cedars-Sinai, Kaiser Permanente), and the ports of LA and Long Beach. Many LA workers commute across county lines to Orange County or the Inland Empire; California state tax is uniform statewide, so the cross-county math stays identical. At $85,000 single, federal tax resolves to $9,870, California state to $4,447, FICA combined to $6,503, leaving take-home of $63,075.

$85,000 single filer take-home comparison

Los Angeles

$63,100

California (no city tax)

$63,100

Texas (no income tax)

$68,600

Los Angeles take-home is $0 vs the state-only figure and -$5,600 vs the no-income-tax baseline.

How California tax applies in Los Angeles

Los Angeles does not levy a separate municipal income tax. Your paycheck math runs the California state schedule on top of federal tax and FICA. The California state page covers the full bracket detail and any state-administered programs (such as SDI or paid leave) that apply uniformly to every resident of the state.

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What this estimate includes

This calculator computes Los Angeles take-home pay using 2026 federal brackets after the standard deduction, FICA contributions (Social Security up to the annual wage base, Medicare on all wages, plus the Additional Medicare Tax above the filing-status threshold), and California's state income tax schedule, alongside state-administered payroll programs (California SDI). No municipal income tax applies in Los Angeles. The calculator excludes employer-side payroll taxes, custom W-4 elections, supplemental-wage handling for bonuses or equity vesting, and income from sources other than W-2 wages.

Los Angeles paycheck FAQ

How much state tax does Los Angeles pay?
California state tax climbs through nine progressive brackets, starting at 1% and reaching 12.3% on income above the top tier, plus a 1% Mental Health Services Tax on income above $1 million. At $85,000 single, the state line is $4,447, with the top slice taxed at the 9.3% marginal.
What is California SDI for LA workers?
California State Disability Insurance is a state-administered employee payroll deduction that funds short-term disability and Paid Family Leave benefits. Senate Bill 951 removed the wage-base cap in 2024, so the rate applies to every dollar of wages. At $85,000, the California SDI line totals $1,105 per year.
What changes for married filing jointly, head of household, or filing separately at $85,000 in Los Angeles?
California publishes distinct brackets for MFJ, HoH, and MFS per Schedule X-1, so the state line shifts with filing status. At $85,000, MFJ take-home reaches $69,297 ($6,222 more than single), HoH about $67,822, MFS $63,075. The calculator handles all four statuses.
Does Los Angeles have a city income tax?
No. The Los Angeles Municipal Code does not authorize a personal income tax, and California state law generally bars cities from levying broad-based income taxes on residents. City revenue comes mainly from property tax, sales tax, business license tax, and utility user tax. Your pay stub shows no LA line.
How does Los Angeles compare to Orange County or Riverside County for paycheck taxes?
All three sit within California, so state tax is uniform: same brackets, same MHSA surcharge above $1 million, same California SDI rate. The practical wedge is cost of living, not tax. LA, OC, and Riverside paychecks show identical state tax at $85,000; commuter routing between counties does not change the math.
Where does LA paycheck math differ from other CA metros like San Francisco or San Diego?
It does not, at the state level. California state tax applies uniformly statewide, with no county or city add-on for income. California SDI hits every California wage earner at the same rate. The take-home difference between LA, SF, and SD at the same gross is driven by cost of living, not by paycheck tax.

See also

Run the full California paycheck calculatorBrowse all city paycheck calculatorsBrowse paycheck calculators by statePaycheck and tax glossaryHow we calculate paycheck taxes

Reviewed

How This Page Is Reviewed

The Los Angeles 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

2026-05-28