Living on minimum wage · West Virginia
Living on Minimum Wage in West Virginia
A full-time job at West Virginia’s $8.75 minimum wage pays $18,200 a year. After federal taxes that is about $1,377 a month, the 31st-highest take-home of the 51 states and DC.
- Take-home a month $1,377 single, after federal tax
- Take-home a year $16,523 91% of $18,200
- Real hourly pay $7.94 after tax, of $8.75
- Work for $100 of goods 13.5 hrs incl. 7% sales tax
From gross pay to take-home
| Year | Month | Every 2 weeks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $18,200 | $1,517 | $700 |
| Federal income tax | −$285 | −$24 | −$11 |
| Social Security & Medicare | −$1,392 | −$116 | −$54 |
| Take-home | $16,523 | $1,377 | $635 |
Figures assume 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, a single filer and the 2026 standard deduction. West 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 West Virginia takes home about $2,596 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 West Virginia.
What spending costs in hours of work
The combined sales tax in Charleston is 7%, so $100 of taxable goods costs $107.00 at the register. At $7.94 of take-home pay an hour, that takes about 13.5 hours of work, the 31st-shortest of the 51 states and DC.
Rates differ across the state; see sales tax in West Virginia for other cities.
Two earners
A couple who both work full-time at minimum wage and file jointly earn $36,400 and take home about $2,754 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 $65,407 and a two-earner couple about $130,815, before property tax and insurance. See what a $125,000 mortgage costs month to month.
Minimum wage in West Virginia: take-home FAQ
What is take-home pay on minimum wage in West Virginia?
Full-time at $8.75 an hour, 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, earns $18,200 a year. After $285 of federal income tax and $1,392 of Social Security and Medicare, a single filer takes home about $16,523, or $1,377 a month. West 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 West Virginia?
About $285 of federal income tax and $1,392 of Social Security and Medicare, using 2026 brackets and the standard deduction for a single filer. Together that is 9% of gross pay.
How long does a minimum wage worker in West Virginia work to buy $100 of goods?
The combined sales tax in Charleston is 7%, so $100 of taxable goods costs $107.00 at the register. At a take-home rate of $7.94 an hour, that is about 13.5 hours of work, the 31st-shortest of the 51 states and DC.
Can you afford a mortgage on minimum wage in West 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 $65,407. Two full-time earners could borrow about $130,815, 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 Charleston.
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/west-virginia/ — based on U.S. Department of Labor; Internal Revenue Service; State departments of revenue. CC BY-NC 4.0.
