Delaware take-home pay
Delaware taxes wages, and on $85,000 that costs you $4,269 a year on top of federal tax and FICA. What matters more is what the total leaves you where you actually live.
That is $64,018 a year, after federal tax, FICA, state tax and any local tax or premium.
- Federal
- $9,870
- FICA
- $6,502
- State
- $4,269
- Effective rate
- 24.7%
Delaware has not reissued its withholding tables for 2026. The tables in force are stamped 'Effective January 1, 2025' and the Employer's Guide notes 'no changes from January 1, 2014' - Delaware's brackets have genuinely been static for over a decade, so these figures are very probably still correct, but no 2026-dated edition was found to confirm it. Delaware Paid Leave deductions began on 1 January 2025 and the employer may take up to half the total premium, up to 0.4% of covered wages (0.16% where only Parental Leave is mandated).
| Year | Month | Paycheck | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $85,000.00 | $7,083.33 | $3,269.23 |
| Federal income tax | $-9,870.00 | $-822.50 | $-379.62 |
| Social Security | $-5,270.00 | $-439.17 | $-202.69 |
| Medicare | $-1,232.50 | $-102.71 | $-47.40 |
| State income tax | $-4,269.00 | $-355.75 | $-164.19 |
| State premiums | $-340.00 | $-28.33 | $-13.08 |
| Take-home pay | $64,018.50 | $5,334.88 | $2,462.25 |
Delaware has not reissued its withholding tables for 2026. The tables in force are stamped 'Effective January 1, 2025' and the Employer's Guide notes 'no changes from January 1, 2014' - Delaware's brackets have genuinely been static for over a decade, so these figures are very probably still correct, but no 2026-dated edition was found to confirm it. Delaware Paid Leave deductions began on 1 January 2025 and the employer may take up to half the total premium, up to 0.4% of covered wages (0.16% where only Parental Leave is mandated).
How Delaware taxes wages
| Taxable wages over | But not over | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $2,000 | 0.00% |
| $2,000 | $5,000 | 2.20% |
| $5,000 | $10,000 | 3.90% |
| $10,000 | $20,000 | 4.80% |
| $20,000 | $25,000 | 5.20% |
| $25,000 | $60,000 | 5.55% |
| $60,000 | no limit | 6.60% |
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Standard deduction, single | $3,250 |
| Standard deduction, married | $6,500 |
| Exemption | $110 as a credit against tax |
| Withholding certificate | Federal W-4 / DE SD-W-4A |
Delaware runs one rate schedule for every filing status. The first $2,000 of taxable income is untaxed.
The $110 personal credit is applied against tax due. Employees aged 60 and over get an extra allowance.
The head-of-household standard deduction is not stated separately in the Employer's Guide; the single figure of $3,250 is used here.
Delaware has no mandatory state withholding certificate - employers take a signed federal W-4 or W-4A, or Delaware Form SD/W-4A or W-4NR.
Wilmington's wage tax applies if EITHER the employee's home OR their workplace is in the city. Wilmington's separate head tax is an employer charge and is not withheld.
What comes out that is not income tax
| Programme | Rate | Wage cap | Cost a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware Paid Leave (employee share) | 0.400% | $184,500 | $340.00 |
Local income taxes
| Locality | How it works | On $85,000 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | 1.250% of wages | $1,062 | 1.25% earned income tax on gross wages, flat, no exemptions or deductions. Applies if either the employee's residence or their work location is in Wilmington. |
What Delaware leaves you
| Salary | Federal | FICA | State | Take-home | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $3,825 | $2,098 | $40,057 | 19.9% |
| $75,000 | $7,670 | $5,738 | $3,609 | $57,684 | 23.1% |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $7,650 | $5,259 | $73,521 | 26.5% |
| $150,000 | $24,734 | $11,475 | $8,559 | $104,632 | 30.2% |
| $250,000 | $51,304 | $15,514 | $15,159 | $167,285 | 33.1% |
Against the states people move to and from
| State | State tax | Premiums | Take-home | Against this state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $0 | $0 | $79,180 | $3,864 |
| Florida | $0 | $0 | $79,180 | $3,864 |
| California | $5,560 | $1,300 | $72,320 | $-2,996 |
| New York | $4,836 | $443 | $73,901 | $-1,415 |
| Washington | $0 | $1,387 | $77,793 | $2,477 |
| Delaware | $5,259 | $400 | $73,521 | $-1,795 |
Moving state changes the tax and, almost always by more, the rent. The relocation guide puts both in one number.
For the wider arithmetic, the two-state offer guide compares two offers on what is left after tax and rent, this guide explains why your bracket is not your tax rate, and this one covers the choice between a 401(k) and an HSA.
Questions people actually ask
Does Delaware have a state income tax?
Yes. Graduated, from 0.00% to 6.60%.
What else comes out of my paycheck in Delaware?
Federal income tax, Social Security at 6.2% and Medicare at 1.45%, plus Delaware Paid Leave (employee share).
Does Delaware follow federal rules on 401(k) and HSA?
401(k) deferrals: yes, excluded. HSA contributions: yes, excluded.
Figures on this page are for the 2026/27 tax year (6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027) and were last checked on 29 August 2026. Every rate we use is listed on the sources page.