Living on minimum wage · New York
Living on Minimum Wage in New York
A full-time job at New York’s $17.00 minimum wage pays $35,360 a year. After federal taxes that is about $2,542 a month, the 3rd-highest take-home of the 51 states and DC.
- Take-home a month $2,542 single, after federal tax
- Take-home a year $30,502 86% of $35,360
- Real hourly pay $14.66 after tax, of $17.00
- Work for $100 of goods 7.4 hrs incl. 8.875% sales tax
From gross pay to take-home
| Year | Month | Every 2 weeks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $35,360 | $2,947 | $1,360 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,153 | −$179 | −$83 |
| Social Security & Medicare | −$2,705 | −$225 | −$104 |
| Take-home | $30,502 | $2,542 | $1,173 |
Figures assume 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, a single filer and the 2026 standard deduction. New York state income tax is not included, so an actual paycheck here will be somewhat lower. For a different situation, use the take-home pay calculator.
Compared with the federal minimum
A full-time worker in New York takes home about $16,575 more a year than someone paid the $7.25 federal minimum, who keeps $13,926. The highest take-home is in District of Columbia, at $32,842. See this state’s rate history and rank on minimum wage in New York.
What spending costs in hours of work
The combined sales tax in New York City is 8.875%, so $100 of taxable goods costs $108.88 at the register. At $14.66 of take-home pay an hour, that takes about 7.4 hours of work, the 4th-shortest of the 51 states and DC.
Rates differ across the state; see sales tax in New York for other cities.
Two earners
A couple who both work full-time at minimum wage and file jointly earn $70,720 and take home about $5,084 a month after federal taxes.
How big a mortgage minimum wage supports
Lenders commonly cap housing costs at 28% of gross pay. At this week’s 6.76% 30-year rate, that lets one full-time earner here borrow about $127,077 and a two-earner couple about $254,155, before property tax and insurance. See what a $250,000 mortgage costs month to month.
Minimum wage in New York: take-home FAQ
What is take-home pay on minimum wage in New York?
Full-time at $17.00 an hour, 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, earns $35,360 a year. After $2,153 of federal income tax and $2,705 of Social Security and Medicare, a single filer takes home about $30,502, or $2,542 a month. New York state income tax is not included, so an actual paycheck here will be somewhat lower.
How much federal tax does a minimum wage worker pay in New York?
About $2,153 of federal income tax and $2,705 of Social Security and Medicare, using 2026 brackets and the standard deduction for a single filer. Together that is 14% of gross pay.
How long does a minimum wage worker in New York work to buy $100 of goods?
The combined sales tax in New York City is 8.875%, so $100 of taxable goods costs $108.88 at the register. At a take-home rate of $14.66 an hour, that is about 7.4 hours of work, the 4th-shortest of the 51 states and DC.
Can you afford a mortgage on minimum wage in New York?
Keeping principal and interest to 28% of gross pay at this week’s 6.76% 30-year rate, one full-time minimum wage earner could borrow about $127,077. Two full-time earners could borrow about $254,155, before property tax and insurance.
2026 state minimum wage, 2026 federal brackets for a single filer with the standard deduction, and Social Security and Medicare at 7.65%. State and local income taxes are not included . Sales tax is the combined rate for one downtown ZIP code in New York City.
Data: U.S. Department of Labor; Internal Revenue Service; State departments of revenue, via APIVerve. Our tables, charts and text are licensed CC BY-NC 4.0: share and adapt them for non-commercial use as long as you credit us. For commercial use or bulk data, use the APIVerve API. See the data terms. Cite as: Digest Your Finances, “Living on Minimum Wage by State”, https://digestyourfinances.com/studies/living-on-minimum-wage/new-york/ — based on U.S. Department of Labor; Internal Revenue Service; State departments of revenue. CC BY-NC 4.0.
