$21 an Hour in Minnesota — After-Tax Take-Home (2026)
At $21/hour (2,080 hours/year), your gross annual income is $43,680. After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and Minnesota state income tax, your take-home pay is $17.21/hr. In Minnesota's medium cost-of-living environment, this is enough to get by in Minnesota, though budget carefully.
Pay Period Breakdown
Full Tax Breakdown — Minnesota, Single Filer
How Does Minnesota Compare?
See how $21/hr take-home differs in other states at the same wage:
Equivalent Annual Salary Pages
$21/hr = $43,680/year gross. See the full state-by-state salary breakdown:
Adjacent Rates in Minnesota
Same Rate, Other States
Cost of Living in Minnesota
- Avg 1BR rent in Minneapolis: $1,250/mo — over the 30% rule (34% of gross monthly)
- Minimum comfortable income in Minnesota: $42,000/yr
- Your net annual: $35,801 ($6,199 below comfortable threshold)
- Purchasing power equivalent in Texas: ~$21/hr
Working at $21/hr in Minnesota
This is a comfortable income in the Twin Cities. Major corporate employers create stable mid-income employment. The 6.8% state rate on income above $29k is a real factor — notably higher than Iowa, Wisconsin, or Colorado at comparable income levels.
At ${rate}/hr, you work roughly 73 hours each month to cover a typical 1BR in Minneapolis (${rent.toLocaleString()}/mo) -- that's above the 30% gross income guideline. This wage is 1.9x Minnesota's minimum wage of ${ctx.minWage}/hr. Your combined effective tax rate at ${rate}/hr in Minnesota is 18.0% -- federal income tax accounts for 7.0%, FICA 7.6%, and Minnesota state tax 3.4%.
Minnesota has a highly educated workforce and strong corporate base — Target, UnitedHealth Group, 3M, General Mills, and Best Buy are all headquartered here. The Twin Cities metro has a diverse, resilient economy. Healthcare, finance, retail, and manufacturing are major sectors.
Minnesota has a progressive income tax with a top rate of 9.85% — one of the highest in the Midwest. The brackets are steep: the 6.8% rate applies above ~$29k for single filers. This creates a noticeably higher state tax burden at mid and upper incomes relative to neighboring Wisconsin or Iowa.
Minnesota's minimum wage is $11.13/hr for large employers (2026).
Monthly Budget on $21/hr in Minnesota
Based on $2,983/month take-home. Percentages follow common 50/30/20 guidelines adjusted for Minnesota's cost of living.
Overtime Pay — $21/hr in Minnesota
At time-and-a-half ($31.50/hr), here's what overtime adds to your annual net income in Minnesota. Your marginal tax rate at this income level is ~18.8%.
Hours to Afford Common Purchases at $21/hr
How many hours of work (gross) to buy common items. Actual cost in after-tax hours is higher — divide by your $17.21 net hourly rate for the true cost in time.
Frequently Asked Questions
21 an hour -- is it a good wage in Minnesota?
21/hr in Minnesota gives you $35,801/year after taxes -- enough to get by in Minnesota, though budget carefully. Avg 1BR rent in Minneapolis: $1,250/month (exceeds the 30% rule).
What is 21 an hour after taxes in Minnesota?
21/hr in Minnesota = $35,801/year or $2,983/month net. Effective rate: 18.0%.
How does 21/hr go further -- Minnesota or Texas?
21/hr in Minnesota has similar purchasing power to ~21/hr in Texas.
What does 21/hr look like as a monthly budget in Minnesota?
On $2,983/month in Minnesota: rent $1,250, food $358, transport $298, savings $298, surplus ~$302.
How much does overtime add at 21/hr in Minnesota?
At 1.5x (31.50/hr OT), 5 extra hrs/week adds ~$6,400/year net; 10 hrs/week adds ~$12,800/year.