$16 an Hour in Virginia — After-Tax Take-Home (2026)
At $16/hour (2,080 hours/year), your gross annual income is $33,280. After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and Virginia state income tax, your take-home pay is $13.33/hr. In Virginia's high cost-of-living environment, this is below what's needed for comfortable living in Virginia.
Pay Period Breakdown
Full Tax Breakdown — Virginia, Single Filer
How Does Virginia Compare?
See how $16/hr take-home differs in other states at the same wage:
Equivalent Annual Salary Pages
$16/hr = $33,280/year gross. See the full state-by-state salary breakdown:
Adjacent Rates in Virginia
Same Rate, Other States
Cost of Living in Virginia
- Avg 1BR rent in Richmond: $1,500/mo — over the 30% rule (54% of gross monthly)
- Minimum comfortable income in Virginia: $50,000/yr
- Your net annual: $27,724 ($22,276 below comfortable threshold)
- Purchasing power equivalent in Texas: ~$13.4/hr
Working at $16/hr in Virginia
This is a solid income in Virginia, especially outside Northern Virginia. The progressive tax tops out at 5.75% — moderate compared to neighboring Maryland's state + county burden. Richmond's growing financial sector and Hampton Roads' military economy create stable mid-wage employment.
At ${rate}/hr, you work roughly 113 hours each month to cover a typical 1BR in Richmond (${rent.toLocaleString()}/mo) -- that's above the 30% gross income guideline. This wage is 1.2x Virginia's minimum wage of ${ctx.minWage}/hr. Your combined effective tax rate at ${rate}/hr in Virginia is 16.7% -- federal income tax accounts for 5.4%, FICA 7.6%, and Virginia state tax 3.6%.
Virginia's economy is heavily influenced by the federal government — Northern Virginia (Arlington, Fairfax, Alexandria) hosts the Pentagon, CIA, NSA, and thousands of defense contractors. Amazon HQ2 in Arlington has accelerated tech growth. Outside NoVA, Richmond has a growing finance and healthcare sector; Hampton Roads has a major military and defense presence.
Virginia has a progressive income tax with rates from 2% to 5.75%. The standard deduction is $8,000 for single filers. NoVA workers benefit from Virginia's rates while working near DC's salaries — a significant advantage over Maryland residents who also pay county income taxes.
Virginia's minimum wage is $13.50/hr (2026).
Monthly Budget on $16/hr in Virginia
Based on $2,310/month take-home. Percentages follow common 50/30/20 guidelines adjusted for Virginia's cost of living.
⚠ This budget is underwater — rent alone exceeds the 30% guideline in Virginia at $16/hr. Consider roommates, lower-cost areas, or targeting a higher wage to reach balance.
Overtime Pay — $16/hr in Virginia
At time-and-a-half ($24.00/hr), here's what overtime adds to your annual net income in Virginia. Your marginal tax rate at this income level is ~19.2%.
Hours to Afford Common Purchases at $16/hr
How many hours of work (gross) to buy common items. Actual cost in after-tax hours is higher — divide by your $13.33 net hourly rate for the true cost in time.
Frequently Asked Questions
16 an hour -- is it a good wage in Virginia?
16/hr in Virginia gives you $27,724/year after taxes -- below what's needed for comfortable living in Virginia. Avg 1BR rent in Richmond: $1,500/month (exceeds the 30% rule).
What is 16 an hour after taxes in Virginia?
16/hr in Virginia = $27,724/year or $2,310/month net. Effective rate: 16.7%.
How does 16/hr go further -- Virginia or Texas?
16/hr in Virginia has similar purchasing power to ~13.4/hr in Texas.
What does 16/hr look like as a monthly budget in Virginia?
On $2,310/month in Virginia: rent $1,500, food $277, transport $231, savings $231, surplus ~$0.
How much does overtime add at 16/hr in Virginia?
At 1.5x (24.00/hr OT), 5 extra hrs/week adds ~$4,850/year net; 10 hrs/week adds ~$9,700/year.