Living on minimum wage · Washington
Living on Minimum Wage in Washington
A full-time job at Washington’s $17.13 minimum wage pays $35,630 a year. After federal taxes that is about $2,560 a month, the 2nd-highest take-home of the 51 states and DC.
- Take-home a month $2,560 single, after federal tax
- Take-home a year $30,719 86% of $35,630
- Real hourly pay $14.77 after tax, of $17.13
- Work for $100 of goods 7.5 hrs incl. 10.25% sales tax
From gross pay to take-home
| Year | Month | Every 2 weeks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $35,630 | $2,969 | $1,370 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,186 | −$182 | −$84 |
| Social Security & Medicare | −$2,726 | −$227 | −$105 |
| Take-home | $30,719 | $2,560 | $1,182 |
Figures assume 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, a single filer and the 2026 standard deduction. Washington does not tax wages, so this is close to the full take-home figure, before any local taxes. For a different situation, use the take-home pay calculator.
Compared with the federal minimum
A full-time worker in Washington takes home about $16,793 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 Washington.
What spending costs in hours of work
The combined sales tax in Seattle is 10.25%, so $100 of taxable goods costs $110.25 at the register. At $14.77 of take-home pay an hour, that takes about 7.5 hours of work, the 5th-shortest of the 51 states and DC.
Rates differ across the state; see sales tax in Washington for other cities.
Two earners
A couple who both work full-time at minimum wage and file jointly earn $71,261 and take home about $5,120 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 $128,049 and a two-earner couple about $256,098, before property tax and insurance. See what a $250,000 mortgage costs month to month.
Minimum wage in Washington: take-home FAQ
What is take-home pay on minimum wage in Washington?
Full-time at $17.13 an hour, 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, earns $35,630 a year. After $2,186 of federal income tax and $2,726 of Social Security and Medicare, a single filer takes home about $30,719, or $2,560 a month. Washington does not tax wages, so this is close to the full take-home figure, before any local taxes.
How much federal tax does a minimum wage worker pay in Washington?
About $2,186 of federal income tax and $2,726 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 Washington work to buy $100 of goods?
The combined sales tax in Seattle is 10.25%, so $100 of taxable goods costs $110.25 at the register. At a take-home rate of $14.77 an hour, that is about 7.5 hours of work, the 5th-shortest of the 51 states and DC.
Can you afford a mortgage on minimum wage in Washington?
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 $128,049. Two full-time earners could borrow about $256,098, 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 ; this state does not tax wages. Sales tax is the combined rate for one downtown ZIP code in Seattle.
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/washington/ — based on U.S. Department of Labor; Internal Revenue Service; State departments of revenue. CC BY-NC 4.0.
