Living on minimum wage · Virginia
Living on Minimum Wage in Virginia
A full-time job at Virginia’s $12.77 minimum wage pays $26,562 a year. After federal taxes that is about $1,951 a month, the 23rd-highest take-home of the 51 states and DC.
- Take-home a month $1,951 single, after federal tax
- Take-home a year $23,408 88% of $26,562
- Real hourly pay $11.25 after tax, of $12.77
- Work for $100 of goods 9.4 hrs incl. 6% sales tax
From gross pay to take-home
| Year | Month | Every 2 weeks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $26,562 | $2,213 | $1,022 |
| Federal income tax | −$1,121 | −$93 | −$43 |
| Social Security & Medicare | −$2,032 | −$169 | −$78 |
| Take-home | $23,408 | $1,951 | $900 |
Figures assume 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, a single filer and the 2026 standard deduction. Virginia 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 Virginia takes home about $9,482 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 Virginia.
What spending costs in hours of work
The combined sales tax in Virginia Beach is 6%, so $100 of taxable goods costs $106.00 at the register. At $11.25 of take-home pay an hour, that takes about 9.4 hours of work, the 23rd-shortest of the 51 states and DC.
Rates differ across the state; see sales tax in Virginia for other cities.
Two earners
A couple who both work full-time at minimum wage and file jointly earn $53,123 and take home about $3,901 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 $95,458 and a two-earner couple about $190,915, before property tax and insurance. See what a $175,000 mortgage costs month to month.
Minimum wage in Virginia: take-home FAQ
What is take-home pay on minimum wage in Virginia?
Full-time at $12.77 an hour, 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, earns $26,562 a year. After $1,121 of federal income tax and $2,032 of Social Security and Medicare, a single filer takes home about $23,408, or $1,951 a month. Virginia 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 Virginia?
About $1,121 of federal income tax and $2,032 of Social Security and Medicare, using 2026 brackets and the standard deduction for a single filer. Together that is 12% of gross pay.
How long does a minimum wage worker in Virginia work to buy $100 of goods?
The combined sales tax in Virginia Beach is 6%, so $100 of taxable goods costs $106.00 at the register. At a take-home rate of $11.25 an hour, that is about 9.4 hours of work, the 23rd-shortest of the 51 states and DC.
Can you afford a mortgage on minimum wage in Virginia?
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 $95,458. Two full-time earners could borrow about $190,915, 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 Virginia Beach.
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/virginia/ — based on U.S. Department of Labor; Internal Revenue Service; State departments of revenue. CC BY-NC 4.0.
