Side-by-side state comparison
Kentucky vs Ohio Paycheck Comparison (2026)
Enter a salary below to see the take-home pay difference between Kentucky and Ohio for 2026, broken down line by line.
Popular Comparisons
Ohio takes home more
more per year vs. Kentucky · $89/mo · $41/paycheck
5-Year Difference
$5,345
This estimate is for planning purposes only and does not constitute tax or financial advice. Actual paycheck withholding depends on your employer's payroll system, custom W-4 elections, additional income, and personal tax situation. For specific tax-planning decisions, consult a licensed CPA or tax professional.
Data pending verification
Kentucky's Occupational License Taxes (Louisville Metro, Lexington-Fayette, and many other cities and counties) are not auto-applied in this state-only view; pick a specific Kentucky city or county in the calculator below to apply it.
Ohio's municipal income taxes (600-plus cities, villages, and townships aggregated via RITA, CCA, and direct municipal filings) are not auto-applied in this state-only view; pick a specific Ohio municipality to apply the local layer.
Quick answer
Putting Kentucky next to Ohio at $100,000 single, Ohio residents take home about $1,069 more per year than Kentucky residents, roughly $89 per month. Kentucky levies a 3.5% flat state rate plus Occupational License Taxes in many cities; Ohio runs a progressive schedule topping at 2.75% plus 600-plus municipal income taxes.
Kentucky and Ohio share the Ohio River as their northern border, with Cincinnati-Covington forming one of the most-commuter-knit cross-state metros in the country. Kentucky levies a 3.5% flat state income tax, with Occupational License Taxes in many Kentucky cities and counties (Louisville Metro and Lexington-Fayette both impose them, with rates varying by jurisdiction). Ohio runs a progressive bracket schedule topping at 2.75%, with 600-plus Ohio municipalities layering their own income taxes on top (Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo each apply a city tax on residents and many non-resident workers). Louisville and Lexington anchor Kentucky's economy (UPS Worldport at Louisville's airport, Toyota's Georgetown plant, Ford Louisville Assembly, Humana headquarters). Ohio's economy splits across Cincinnati (P&G, Kroger, Cincinnati Financial), Cleveland (Cleveland Clinic, KeyBank, Sherwin-Williams), Columbus (state government, Ohio State, JP Morgan Chase regional), and the Toledo manufacturing belt. At $100,000 single, a Kentucky resident takes home $75,798 versus an Ohio resident's $76,867, a gap of $1,069 per year on the state-only line.
At $100,000 single filer, take-home difference
Moving from Kentucky to Ohio saves approximately $1,069 per year at $100,000 single.
Computed from the tax engine with 2026 federal brackets, FICA, and state tax. Standard deduction, no pre-tax contributions.
How the state tax structures compare
| Feature | Kentucky | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| State structure | 3.5 percent flat tax | Progressive 2.75 to 2.75 percent |
| Taxes wages? | Yes | Yes |
Take-home at four common salary points
Single filer, 2026 brackets, standard deduction, no pre-tax contributions. Delta is Ohio take-home minus Kentucky take-home.
| Salary | Kentucky | Ohio | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $40,723 | $41,424 | +$701 |
| $100,000 | $75,798 | $76,867 | +$1,069 |
| $150,000 | $108,659 | $110,103 | +$1,444 |
| $250,000 | $174,550 | $176,744 | +$2,194 |
What this comparison includes
This comparison computes 2026 take-home pay in Kentucky and Ohio side by side, 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 each state's income tax schedule along with any state-administered payroll programs and supported local layers. It 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. City-level taxes are layered only on the dedicated metro pages; this comparison covers state-and-typical-local figures only, so a worker considering a specific metro should follow the relevant city link in the See also section.
Kentucky vs Ohio FAQ
How much more is take-home in Ohio than Kentucky at $100,000 (state-only)?
Does the KY vs OH gap grow with salary?
Does this comparison include Kentucky OLT or Ohio municipal income tax?
How does married filing jointly, head of household, or filing separately change the KY vs OH gap?
What about cost-of-living differences between Kentucky and Ohio?
How does KY vs OH compare to other Midwest pair structures?
See also
Reviewed
How This Page Is Reviewed
The Kentucky vs Ohio comparison is reviewed against primary federal and state 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
2026-07-14