Illinois Take-Home Pay Calculator
Estimate your Illinois paycheck using IL's flat 4.95% state income tax rate and personal exemption, plus federal income tax and FICA.
What comes out of an Illinois paycheck
Like Pennsylvania, Illinois taxes all income at a single flat rate — 4.95% — with no brackets. Illinois voters explicitly chose to keep this system: a 2020 ballot measure ("Fair Tax Illinois") that would have introduced graduated rates was rejected. Illinois does, however, allow a personal exemption that reduces taxable income before the flat rate applies — $2,850 per person for 2025, so a married couple filing jointly can exempt $5,700 combined.
IL-taxable income: $80,000 − $4,000 pre-tax − $2,850 personal exemption = $73,150. IL tax: $73,150 × 4.95% = $3,621.
Federal tax (on $61,000 taxable) ≈ $8,334 · IL state tax ≈ $3,621 · Social Security $4,960 · Medicare $1,160.
Annual take-home ≈ $57,925 → about $2,228 per biweekly paycheck (72.4% of gross).
No local income tax — a difference from Pennsylvania and New York
Unlike Pennsylvania's near-universal municipal Earned Income Tax or New York City's local resident tax, no Illinois city or county adds its own income tax on wages — not even Chicago. The 4.95% state rate is the entire income-tax picture for Illinois payroll. Illinois residents do face other notable state and local costs — Illinois has some of the highest property tax rates in the country, and Chicago's combined sales tax rate is among the highest of any major U.S. city — but those don't reduce a paycheck the way income tax does.
Common mistakes when estimating Illinois take-home pay
- Forgetting the personal exemption. Applying 4.95% to full gross wages instead of wages minus the $2,850 exemption overstates the tax owed, especially at lower incomes.
- Assuming a local income tax applies. Illinois has no city or county wage tax — don't add one by analogy to Pennsylvania or New York.
- Overlooking Illinois's high property and sales taxes when judging affordability. A flat, moderate income tax rate doesn't mean overall tax burden is low — property taxes in particular run well above the national average.
Frequently asked questions
What is Illinois's state income tax rate?
A flat 4.95% for all taxpayers regardless of income — Illinois voters rejected a 2020 measure to replace it with graduated rates.
What is the Illinois personal exemption?
$2,850 per taxpayer for 2025, reducing IL-taxable income before the 4.95% rate applies, plus additional exemptions per dependent.
Does Illinois have local income tax like Pennsylvania?
No — no Illinois city or county, including Chicago, levies a separate local income tax on wages.
Does filing status affect the Illinois flat tax?
The 4.95% rate doesn't change by filing status, but the personal exemption effectively doubles for married couples filing jointly.
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Note: Simplified estimate using 2025 state and federal figures; excludes credits and benefit specifics. Not tax advice. Figures: 2025 Illinois and federal tax year. Last reviewed: September 2026.