$42 an Hour in Rhode Island — After-Tax Take-Home (2026)

At $42/hour (2,080 hours/year), your gross annual income is $87,360. After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and Rhode Island state income tax, your take-home pay is $32.41/hr. In Rhode Island's high cost-of-living environment, this is a comfortable living wage in Rhode Island.

Gross Annual
$87,360
Net Annual
$67,407
Net Monthly
$5,617
Net Hourly
$32.41

Pay Period Breakdown

Period Gross Tax Net
Hourly $42.00 $9.59 $32.41
Daily (8 hrs) $336.00 $76.74 $259.26
Weekly (40 hrs) $1,680.00 $383.70 $1,296.30
Biweekly $3,360.00 $767.41 $2,592.59
Monthly $7,280.00 $1,662.72 $5,617.28
Annual $87,360 $19,953 $67,407

Full Tax Breakdown — Rhode Island, Single Filer

Item Rate / Notes Amount
Gross Annual Income $42/hr × 2,080 hrs $87,360
Federal Standard Deduction Single 2026 −$16,100
Federal Taxable Income $71,260
Federal Income Tax 11.9% −$10,389.20
Social Security (6.2%) up to $168,600 −$5,416.32
Medicare (1.45%) −$1,266.72
Rhode Island Standard Deduction Single 2026 −$10,550
Rhode Island State Income Tax 3.3% −$2,880.38
Total Tax 22.8% effective −$19,952.62
Net Take-Home $67,407

How Does Rhode Island Compare?

See how $42/hr take-home differs in other states at the same wage:

Equivalent Annual Salary Pages

$42/hr = $87,360/year gross. See the full state-by-state salary breakdown:

Adjacent Rates in Rhode Island

Same Rate, Other States

Cost of Living in Rhode Island

✓ Comfortable — $42/hr covers costs in Rhode Island
  • Avg 1BR rent in Providence: $1,500/mo — within budget (21% of gross monthly)
  • Minimum comfortable income in Rhode Island: $50,000/yr
  • Your net annual: $67,407 ($17,407 above comfortable threshold)
  • Purchasing power equivalent in Texas: ~$35.3/hr

Working at $42/hr in Rhode Island

At this level in Rhode Island the 5.99% top rate applies. Healthcare and education are the primary high-wage employers. The Boston metro job market is accessible without paying Massachusetts income tax — a meaningful advantage for Rhode Island residents.

At ${rate}/hr, you work roughly 47 hours each month to cover a typical 1BR in Providence (${rent.toLocaleString()}/mo) -- that's within the 30% gross income guideline. This wage is 2.8x Rhode Island's minimum wage of ${ctx.minWage}/hr. Your combined effective tax rate at ${rate}/hr in Rhode Island is 22.8% -- federal income tax accounts for 11.9%, FICA 7.6%, and Rhode Island state tax 3.3%.

Rhode Island has a small economy anchored by healthcare (Lifespan, Care New England), education (Brown University, RISD), tourism (Newport), and a modest manufacturing sector. Proximity to Boston is a major economic driver.

Rhode Island has a progressive income tax with rates from 3.75% to 5.99%. The state has a standard deduction of $10,550 for single filers.

Rhode Island's minimum wage is $15.00/hr (2026).

Monthly Budget on $42/hr in Rhode Island

Based on $5,617/month take-home. Percentages follow common 50/30/20 guidelines adjusted for Rhode Island's cost of living.

Category Monthly Annual % of Net
Rent / Housing $1,500 $18,000 26.7%
Food (groceries + dining) $674 $8,088 12.0%
Transportation $562 $6,744 10.0%
Utilities $337 $4,044 6.0%
Healthcare $281 $3,372 5.0%
Entertainment $281 $3,372 5.0%
Savings (10% target) $562 $6,744 10.0%
Remaining / Surplus $1,420 $17,040 25.3%

Overtime Pay — $42/hr in Rhode Island

At time-and-a-half ($63.00/hr), here's what overtime adds to your annual net income in Rhode Island. Your marginal tax rate at this income level is ~27.2%.

Extra Hours/Week OT Gross/Week Net/Week (est.) Added Net/Year
5 hrs/week $315 $229 $11,450
10 hrs/week $630 $459 $22,950
20 hrs/week $1,260 $917 $45,850

Hours to Afford Common Purchases at $42/hr

How many hours of work (gross) to buy common items. Actual cost in after-tax hours is higher — divide by your $32.41 net hourly rate for the true cost in time.

Purchase Price Gross Hours Net Hours
Tank of gas (12 gal) $50 1.2 hrs 1.6 hrs
Week of groceries $120 2.9 hrs 3.8 hrs
iPhone 16 (base) $799 19.1 hrs 24.7 hrs
1 month rent (Providence) $1,500 35.8 hrs 46.3 hrs
Used car ($10k) $10,000 238.1 hrs 308.6 hrs
Median new car ($48k) $48,000 1142.9 hrs 1481.2 hrs

Frequently Asked Questions

42 an hour -- is it a good wage in Rhode Island?

42/hr in Rhode Island gives you $67,407/year after taxes -- a comfortable living wage in Rhode Island. Avg 1BR rent in Providence: $1,500/month (within the 30% rule).

What is 42 an hour after taxes in Rhode Island?

42/hr in Rhode Island = $67,407/year or $5,617/month net. Effective rate: 22.8%.

How does 42/hr go further -- Rhode Island or Texas?

42/hr in Rhode Island has similar purchasing power to ~35.3/hr in Texas.

What does 42/hr look like as a monthly budget in Rhode Island?

On $5,617/month in Rhode Island: rent $1,500, food $674, transport $562, savings $562, surplus ~$1,420.

How much does overtime add at 42/hr in Rhode Island?

At 1.5x (63.00/hr OT), 5 extra hrs/week adds ~$11,450/year net; 10 hrs/week adds ~$22,950/year.