Columbus Paycheck Calculator
On a $60,000 salary in Columbus, a single filer takes home about $1,826.05 every two weeks ($47,477 a year) after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Ohio and Columbus taxes. The Columbus city income tax is 2.5% for residents. Choose whether you live or only work in the city below the calculator's state settings.
Compare two scenarios
- A (saved)
- B (the form now)
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An estimate of what your employer withholds, using the IRS percentage method. Your actual paycheck can differ by a few cents because of rounding, or by more if your employer uses other settings.
How we got your number
Each step links to the official document it comes from.
Guides: how to read your pay stub · filling out Form W-4 · biweekly vs semi-monthly pay · why pay rises after the Social Security cap · how much tax is taken out, by state · who gets overtime · 1099 vs W-2 pay
Columbus city income tax
Who pays: Withheld by employers for people who work in Columbus. Residents who work elsewhere get credit for the other city's tax, up to 2.5%.
What pay it applies to: Ohio qualifying wages (about W-2 box 5): 401(k) contributions are taxed; pre-tax health premiums are not.
| From | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2026 | 2.5% | 2.5% |
Sources (checked Oct 25, 2026):
Ohio paycheck rates for 2026
| What comes out | 2026 rate | Official source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | 10%–37% brackets (IRS percentage method) | IRS Publication 15-T (2026) | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Social Security | 6.2% up to $184,500 | SSA COLA fact sheet | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Medicare | 1.45%, plus 0.9% over $200,000 | IRS Publication 15 | Oct 24, 2026 |
| Ohio income tax | 1.6% up to $26,050, 2.99% to $100,000, 3.4% above (yearly), after $650 per IT 4 exemption | Ohio Department of Taxation, Optional Computer Formula (effective August 1, 2026) | Oct 24, 2026 |
Take-home pay in Columbus at common salaries (2026)
On a $70,000 salary in Columbus, you take home about $2,100.52 every two weeks, or $4,551.13 a month, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Ohio and Columbus taxes.
| Salary | Every two weeks | Per month | Per year | Withheld |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $962.28 | $2,084.94 | $25,019.28 | 16.6% |
| $40,000 | $1,250.21 | $2,708.79 | $32,505.46 | 18.7% |
| $50,000 | $1,538.14 | $3,332.64 | $39,991.64 | 20.0% |
| $60,000 | $1,826.05 | $3,956.44 | $47,477.30 | 20.9% |
| $70,000 | $2,100.52 | $4,551.13 | $54,613.52 | 22.0% |
| $80,000 | $2,349.97 | $5,091.60 | $61,099.22 | 23.6% |
| $90,000 | $2,599.44 | $5,632.12 | $67,585.44 | 24.9% |
| $100,000 | $2,848.90 | $6,172.62 | $74,071.40 | 25.9% |
| $125,000 | $3,466.25 | $7,510.21 | $90,122.50 | 27.9% |
| $150,000 | $4,066.74 | $8,811.27 | $105,735.24 | 29.5% |
Assumes a single filer paid every two weeks with a 2026 Form W-4 and no adjustments, no 401(k) or health deductions, and the rules in force on Oct 26, 2026. Monthly and yearly figures are the paycheck times 26, divided by 12 for monthly. Enter your own pay above for your exact numbers.
Columbus city income tax: what workers need to know
Who owes it, working from home, refunds and filing in Columbus. Each rule links to the official source. Checked Oct 25, 2026.
| Topic | The rule | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Who owes it | Columbus residents owe the city tax on all income, wherever it is earned, less credit for tax paid to the city where they work. Nonresidents owe it on income earned in Columbus. Income earned while under 18 is not taxed. | Columbus Income Tax Division, General Income Tax Information |
| Working from home or outside the city | Nonresidents whose employer withheld Columbus tax while they worked partly outside Columbus claim it back in Part C of Form IR-25. If you worked the whole year from home outside Columbus, the full wages are refundable. | Columbus Income Tax Division, 2025 IR-25 Instructions |
| Short work trips into Columbus | Under Ohio law, an employer generally does not have to withhold a city's tax for an employee who works there 20 or fewer days in a calendar year, unless it is the employee's principal place of work. From day 21 on, it must withhold. | Ohio Revised Code 718.011 |
| Getting a refund | File Form IR-25 and complete Part C. Attach a list of every date and address you worked outside Columbus, plus your sick, vacation, PTO and holiday dates, and W-2s. You have three years to claim a refund. | Columbus Income Tax Division, 2025 IR-25 Instructions |
| Do you have to file a return? | Not if the full tax was withheld. File Form IR-25 by April 15 if you have Schedule C, E or F income, if 2.5% was not fully withheld on Columbus wages, or if you live in Columbus and work in a lower-rate city without full withholding. | Columbus Income Tax Division, 2025 IR-25 Instructions |
| Employer withholding | Employers must withhold to the city where you actually work, not where you live. A resident working in a lower-rate city is responsible for the difference, and anyone without city tax withheld must make estimated payments. | Columbus Income Tax Division, General Income Tax Information |
| Credit for tax paid elsewhere | Residents get 100% credit for income tax paid to another city, up to 2.5%. The credit cannot exceed the Columbus tax on that income. Enter other-city withholding from W-2 box 19 on Form IR-25. | Columbus Income Tax Division, General Income Tax Information |
| Where to file | The Columbus Income Tax Division, part of the City Auditor's office. File returns and make payments online through CRISP, the Columbus Revenue Information Service Portal, at crisp.columbus.gov. | Columbus Income Tax Division, General Income Tax Information |
| Over-withholding refunds go to the employer | If your employer withheld more than the correct Columbus rate, that excess is refunded to the employer, not to you. Ask your employer to correct it. | Columbus Income Tax Division, General Income Tax Information |
| Final return to close an account | If you had to file in a prior year and got a pre-encoded form, but now all your tax is withheld, file a final return saying so, so the Division can close your account. | Columbus Income Tax Division, General Income Tax Information |
Columbus paycheck questions
I live outside Columbus and work from home. How do I get back Columbus tax my employer withheld?
File Form IR-25 and complete Part C. List every date and address you worked outside Columbus, plus your sick, vacation and holiday dates, and attach your W-2s. If you worked from home outside Columbus all year, all of those wages qualify.
Do I have to file a Columbus city tax return if my employer withholds the tax?
No, if the full tax was withheld and you have no business or rental income. If you filed last year and received a pre-encoded form, file a final return showing all tax was withheld so your account can be closed.
I live in Columbus but work in a suburb with a lower tax rate. What do I owe?
Columbus gives 100% credit for the other city's tax, up to 2.5%. If your work city's rate is lower and your employer did not withhold the full 2.5% in total, you must file Form IR-25 and pay the difference.
When is the Columbus income tax return due, and how long do I have to claim a refund?
Most returns are due April 15, or October 15 if you are on a federal extension. For 2026 income that means April 15, 2027. You have three years to claim a refund of overpaid city tax.
Can I file my Columbus city tax return online?
Yes. The Income Tax Division recommends filing and paying through CRISP, the Columbus Revenue Information Service Portal, at crisp.columbus.gov. You can also look up your taxing jurisdiction there.
How much is $70,000 a year after taxes in Columbus?
About $54,613.52 a year, or $2,100.52 every two weeks, for a single filer with no pre-tax deductions in 2026. That is after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Ohio and Columbus taxes. Use the calculator for your own filing status and deductions.
Other city paycheck calculators
All rates: Ohio city and school district income tax.