$20 an Hour in Arizona — After-Tax Take-Home (2026)
At $20/hour (2,080 hours/year), your gross annual income is $41,600. After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and Arizona state income tax, your take-home pay is $16.81/hr. In Arizona's medium cost-of-living environment, this is below what's needed for comfortable living in Arizona.
Pay Period Breakdown
Full Tax Breakdown — Arizona, Single Filer
How Does Arizona Compare?
See how $20/hr take-home differs in other states at the same wage:
Equivalent Annual Salary Pages
$20/hr = $41,600/year gross. See the full state-by-state salary breakdown:
Adjacent Rates in Arizona
Same Rate, Other States
Cost of Living in Arizona
- Avg 1BR rent in Phoenix: $1,350/mo — over the 30% rule (39% of gross monthly)
- Minimum comfortable income in Arizona: $42,000/yr
- Your net annual: $34,968 ($7,032 below comfortable threshold)
- Purchasing power equivalent in Texas: ~$20/hr
Working at $20/hr in Arizona
This is a comfortable wage in most Arizona metros. The 2.5% flat state tax means your effective burden is low — a meaningful advantage over neighboring California. Phoenix's job market is booming in tech and manufacturing, creating real upward mobility at this level.
At ${rate}/hr, you work roughly 81 hours each month to cover a typical 1BR in Phoenix (${rent.toLocaleString()}/mo) -- that's above the 30% gross income guideline. This wage is 1.4x Arizona's minimum wage of ${ctx.minWage}/hr. Your combined effective tax rate at ${rate}/hr in Arizona is 15.9% -- federal income tax accounts for 6.8%, FICA 7.6%, and Arizona state tax 1.5%.
Arizona's economy has grown rapidly, led by semiconductor manufacturing (TSMC's Phoenix fab), real estate, tourism, and healthcare. The Phoenix metro is one of the fastest-growing job markets in the US.
Arizona simplified to a flat 2.5% income tax rate in 2023 — one of the lowest flat rates in the country. This means workers at all income levels pay the same low effective state rate.
Arizona's minimum wage is $14.70/hr (2026), adjusted annually for inflation.
Monthly Budget on $20/hr in Arizona
Based on $2,914/month take-home. Percentages follow common 50/30/20 guidelines adjusted for Arizona's cost of living.
Overtime Pay — $20/hr in Arizona
At time-and-a-half ($30.00/hr), here's what overtime adds to your annual net income in Arizona. Your marginal tax rate at this income level is ~16.0%.
Hours to Afford Common Purchases at $20/hr
How many hours of work (gross) to buy common items. Actual cost in after-tax hours is higher — divide by your $16.81 net hourly rate for the true cost in time.
Frequently Asked Questions
20 an hour -- is it a good wage in Arizona?
20/hr in Arizona gives you $34,968/year after taxes -- below what's needed for comfortable living in Arizona. Avg 1BR rent in Phoenix: $1,350/month (exceeds the 30% rule).
What is 20 an hour after taxes in Arizona?
20/hr in Arizona = $34,968/year or $2,914/month net. Effective rate: 15.9%.
How does 20/hr go further -- Arizona or Texas?
20/hr in Arizona has similar purchasing power to ~20/hr in Texas.
What does 20/hr look like as a monthly budget in Arizona?
On $2,914/month in Arizona: rent $1,350, food $350, transport $291, savings $291, surplus ~$165.
How much does overtime add at 20/hr in Arizona?
At 1.5x (30.00/hr OT), 5 extra hrs/week adds ~$6,300/year net; 10 hrs/week adds ~$12,600/year.