Kentucky charges 3.5% flat state income tax plus local taxes in some areas. Use the quarterly tax estimator pre-loaded with Kentucky rates.
Open Quarterly Tax Estimator →Quarterly estimated payments in Kentucky must cover both your federal and state obligations. Kentucky applies a flat 3.5% rate, and most states require their own quarterly payment schedule that may differ from the IRS dates. If your Kentucky locality imposes income tax, you may need a third set of quarterly payments. This estimator pre-loads Kentucky's tax rates so you can calculate both federal and state quarterly amounts in one place, avoiding underpayment penalties at both levels.
Kentucky levies a flat 3.5% state income tax on all taxable income regardless of how much you earn. This makes tax planning straightforward: for every additional dollar you earn, 3.5 cents goes to Kentucky. However, certain localities in Kentucky impose their own income taxes, which effectively raise the combined state and local rate above 3.5%. Be sure to check whether your city or county adds a local income tax.
The table below shows what you actually keep at five salary levels in Kentucky, accounting for federal tax, FICA, and Kentucky's flat 3.5% state tax plus estimated local taxes.
See how Kentucky compares to other South states. Each link takes you to the quarterly tax estimator landing page for that state.
For a comprehensive breakdown of Kentucky’s tax structure, salary comparisons, cost-of-living analysis, and more, visit the full Kentucky take-home pay page.