Use this free Delaware paycheck calculator to see your 2026 take-home pay from a salary or an hourly wage. It shows every deduction: federal income tax, Delaware income tax, Delaware Paid Leave, the Wilmington wage tax, Social Security and Medicare, per paycheck and per year.
How Delaware Paycheck Taxes Work: 2026 Guide
Updated for 2026. Delaware taxes income at rates from 0% to 6.6%, and the top rate starts at just $60,000 of taxable income, so most full-time workers pay 6.6% on part of their pay. The standard deduction is only $3,250. Since 2025 most employees also pay up to 0.4% of wages into Delaware Paid Leave, which began paying benefits in January 2026. People who live or work in Wilmington pay a 1.25% city wage tax. Delaware has not adopted the federal tips and overtime deductions. Every figure on this page comes from the Delaware Division of Revenue, the Delaware Department of Labor, the IRS or SSA.
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How your Delaware paycheck is calculated
Your employer starts with your gross pay, removes pre-tax benefits, withholds federal and Delaware income tax, Delaware Paid Leave, Social Security and Medicare (and the Wilmington wage tax if it applies), takes after-tax deductions and pays you the rest.
- Gross paySalary, or hours × rate, plus overtime, bonuses and tips
- Pre-tax deductions401(k), health premiums, HSA, FSA, commuter benefits
- TaxesFederal income tax, Delaware income tax, Paid Leave, Social Security and Medicare
- After-tax deductionsRoth 401(k), union dues, garnishments
- Net payThe take-home amount paid to you
What is taken out of a Delaware paycheck in 2026
| Deduction | 2026 rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | 10% to 37% by bracket | Taxable wages after the federal standard deduction |
| Delaware income tax | 0% to 6.6% by bracket | Federal AGI minus the Delaware standard or itemized deduction |
| Delaware Paid Leave | Up to 0.4% (employee share) | Wages up to $184,500 |
| Social Security | 6.2% | Wages up to $184,500 |
| Medicare | 1.45%, plus 0.9% over $200,000 | All wages |
| Wilmington wage tax | 1.25% | Wages of Wilmington residents and of work done in the city |
Delaware income tax brackets for 2026
The same brackets apply to every filing status and have not changed since 2014 (National Tax Tools summary of the Delaware withholding formula):
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to $2,000 | 0% |
| $2,000 to $5,000 | 2.2% |
| $5,000 to $10,000 | 3.9% |
| $10,000 to $20,000 | 4.8% |
| $20,000 to $25,000 | 5.2% |
| $25,000 to $60,000 | 5.55% |
| Over $60,000 | 6.6% |
Before the rates apply, Delaware subtracts a standard deduction of $3,250 ($6,500 for joint filers), plus $2,500 for each person 65 or older, or your itemized deductions if they are larger. After the rates, it takes off a $110 personal credit for you, your spouse and each dependent, and $110 more for each person 65 or older.
A single filer earning $100,000 has $96,750 of taxable income. The tax on that is $5,369, minus the $110 credit, or $5,259, about 5.3% of gross pay. Traditional 401(k) contributions, health premiums, HSA and FSA contributions lower your Delaware tax too.
Delaware Paid Leave
Delaware's paid family and medical leave program started collecting contributions on January 1, 2025, and began paying benefits on January 1, 2026: up to 80% of wages, capped at $900 a week (Colonial Life summary). The total contribution is 0.8% of wages up to the Social Security wage base, and employers may deduct up to half of it from your pay:
| Employer size (Delaware employees) | Total rate | Most you can be charged |
|---|---|---|
| 25 or more | 0.8% (parental, medical and family caregiving) | 0.4% |
| 10 to 24 | 0.32% (parental leave only) | 0.16% |
| Fewer than 10 | None (exempt) | 0% |
The calculator uses 0.4%, the most common case. If your employer pays the whole cost or is smaller, change the Paid Leave deduction under Personal Details. On a $100,000 salary, 0.4% is $400 a year.
The Wilmington wage tax
The City of Wilmington is the only place in Delaware with a local income tax: 1.25% of wages for everyone who lives in the city, and for nonresidents on the work they do in the city. On a $100,000 salary it costs $1,250 a year. Newark, Dover and the rest of the state have no local wage tax. Choose Wilmington under Personal Details if it applies to you.
Tips, overtime and the senior deduction in Delaware
The federal tax law passed in July 2025 created deductions for tips (up to $25,000), overtime pay (up to $12,500, or $25,000 for joint filers) and seniors ($6,000). They do not change federal adjusted gross income, where Delaware starts, and Delaware has not adopted them. Bills to exempt overtime (HB 126) and tips (HB 386) were filed but did not pass before the 2026 session ended (HB 126 status). Tips and overtime are fully taxed by Delaware, and the calculator applies the deductions to federal tax only.
Federal taxes on every Delaware paycheck
Federal income tax depends on your income, filing status and the choices on your W-4. For 2026 the brackets run from 10% to 37%, and the standard deduction is $16,100 for single filers, $32,200 for joint filers and $24,150 for heads of household (IRS).
- Social Security: 6.2% of wages up to $184,500 in 2026, a maximum of $11,439 (SSA).
- Medicare: 1.45% of all wages. Employers also withhold an extra 0.9% on wages above $200,000 in a year.
Take-home pay examples in Delaware for 2026
These results come from the calculator above for a single filer paid monthly, with no pre-tax deductions, 0.4% Paid Leave and no Wilmington tax:
| Salary | Federal tax | DE tax | Social Security + Medicare | Paid Leave | Take-home per year | Per month | Total tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $2,098 | $3,825 | $200 | $40,057 | $3,338 | 19.9% |
| $60,000 | $5,020 | $2,653 | $4,590 | $240 | $47,497 | $3,958 | 20.8% |
| $75,000 | $7,670 | $3,609 | $5,738 | $300 | $57,684 | $4,807 | 23.1% |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $5,259 | $7,650 | $400 | $73,521 | $6,127 | 26.5% |
| $150,000 | $24,734 | $8,559 | $11,475 | $600 | $104,632 | $8,719 | 30.2% |
| $200,000 | $36,734 | $11,859 | $14,339 | $738 | $136,330 | $11,361 | 31.8% |
A married couple filing jointly on $150,000 of combined pay takes home about $114,351 a year (23.8% in total taxes). With two children under 17, a couple earning $100,000 takes home about $83,996. An hourly worker on $25 an hour, 40 hours a week, earns $52,000 and takes home about $41,545 a year, or $3,462 a month. A single filer on $100,000 who lives or works in Wilmington takes home about $72,271.
Where a $75,000 Delaware salary goes in 2026
Single filer, no pre-tax deductions, yearly amounts
Source: Digicalcy calculation using 2026 IRS, SSA and Delaware rates.
Delaware take-home pay compared with nearby states
On a $100,000 salary, a single filer keeps about $73,521 in Delaware, $74,390 in New Jersey, $74,988 in Pennsylvania (with a typical local earned income tax) and $71,807 in Maryland (with county tax). Delaware has no sales tax, which makes up for part of the higher income tax. Compare with our Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania paycheck calculators.
Live in Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Maryland and work in Delaware? Delaware has no reciprocity agreements. You pay Delaware tax on wages earned in Delaware, and your home state gives you a credit for it on your resident return. Delaware Paid Leave also applies to work done in Delaware.
Paychecks in Wilmington, Dover and Newark
Delaware income tax and Paid Leave are the same everywhere in the state. Only Wilmington adds a local wage tax (1.25%). Dover, Newark, Middletown, Georgetown and the beach towns have no local income tax.
How bonuses, overtime and tips are taxed in Delaware
- Bonuses: Employers usually withhold a flat 22% federal tax on bonuses, plus Delaware tax, Paid Leave, Social Security and Medicare. Your real tax is settled when you file. On a $100,000 salary you keep about $6,335 of a $10,000 bonus. See the bonus tax calculator.
- Overtime: Delaware follows the federal rule: 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. The federal overtime deduction does not lower your Delaware tax. See the overtime calculator.
- Tips: Employers may pay tipped workers $2.23 an hour if tips bring them to at least the minimum wage. Tips are deductible from federal tax, but fully taxed by Delaware. A single worker with $40,000 in wages and $15,000 in tips takes home about $45,577 a year.
How pre-tax deductions lower your Delaware taxes
| Deduction | Federal income tax | DE income tax | Social Security, Medicare and Paid Leave |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional 401(k), 403(b), 457 | Lowers | Lowers | No change |
| Health, dental and vision premiums | Lowers | Lowers | Lowers |
| HSA through payroll | Lowers | Lowers | Lowers |
| Health and dependent care FSA | Lowers | Lowers | Lowers |
A $10,000 401(k) contribution on a $100,000 Delaware salary
Single filer, 2026, yearly amounts
The contribution saves $2,860 in income tax, so take-home pay falls by only $7,140.
Salary or hourly pay in Delaware
For hourly pay, multiply your rate by your weekly hours and by 52. A full-time year is 2,080 hours. Delaware's minimum wage has been $15 an hour since January 1, 2025 (U.S. Department of Labor). A single full-time worker on $15 an hour earns $31,200 and takes home about $26,070 a year.
When you leave a job, Delaware employers must pay your final wages by the next regular payday.
Why your actual paycheck may differ from this estimate
- This calculator estimates your tax for the full year. Employers withhold using the Delaware withholding formula and your DE-W4, so each check can be a little higher or lower.
- Your employer may pay some or all of your Paid Leave share, or may be too small to be covered. Change the Paid Leave percentage to match your pay stub.
- Credits such as the Delaware earned income credit and the exclusion for pension income of people 60 or older are claimed when you file.
- Social Security and Paid Leave stop once your wages pass $184,500, so late-year paychecks of high earners are larger.
How to increase your take-home pay in Delaware
- Check your federal withholding with the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator and update your W-4 and Delaware DE-W4 after a raise, a new job or a change in your family.
- Use pre-tax benefits such as a 401(k), HSA, FSA and commuter benefits. Each dollar saves federal tax and up to 6.6% Delaware tax.
- If you itemize on your federal return, compare your itemized deductions with the small $3,250 Delaware standard deduction; itemizing for Delaware often saves more.
How this calculator works
The calculator estimates your full-year tax and divides it by your pay periods. It uses the 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (Rev. Proc. 2025-32, including the 2025 tax law changes), the Delaware brackets, standard deduction and personal credits, the Delaware Paid Leave employee share you enter, the Wilmington wage tax if chosen, and the 2026 Social Security wage base. For joint filers, enter combined household wages. Results are estimates, not tax advice.
Last reviewed: October 29, 2026.
Delaware Paycheck Calculator FAQs
How much is $100,000 after taxes in Delaware?
A single filer earning $100,000 in Delaware takes home about $73,521 a year in 2026, or $6,127 a month. That is after $13,170 federal income tax, $5,259 Delaware income tax, $7,650 Social Security and Medicare and $400 Delaware Paid Leave.
What percentage of my paycheck goes to taxes in Delaware?
For a single filer in 2026, total taxes take about 19.9% of a $50,000 salary, 23.1% of $75,000, 26.5% of $100,000 and 30.2% of $150,000. That includes federal and Delaware income tax, Paid Leave, Social Security and Medicare.
What is the Delaware state income tax rate?
Delaware has rates from 0% to 6.6%. The 6.6% top rate applies to taxable income over $60,000, and the same brackets apply to every filing status.
How much is $60,000 after taxes in Delaware?
A single filer earning $60,000 in Delaware takes home about $47,497 a year in 2026, or $3,958 a month, after $5,020 federal tax, $2,653 Delaware tax, $4,590 Social Security and Medicare and $240 Paid Leave.
How much is Delaware Paid Leave on my paycheck?
Employers with 25 or more employees can deduct up to 0.4% of your wages (half of the 0.8% total) up to $184,500. Employers with 10 to 24 employees can deduct up to 0.16%, and smaller employers are exempt.
Does Wilmington have a city income tax?
Yes. Wilmington charges a 1.25% wage tax on residents and on nonresidents for work done in the city. No other Delaware city taxes wages.
Does Delaware tax tips and overtime?
Yes. Delaware has not adopted the federal deductions for tips and overtime, so both are fully taxed by the state, even though they can be deducted from federal tax.
What is the minimum wage in Delaware in 2026?
Delaware's minimum wage is $15 an hour. Tipped workers can be paid $2.23 an hour if tips bring them to at least the minimum wage.
How is overtime paid in Delaware?
Delaware follows federal law: 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. There is no daily overtime.
More paycheck and tax calculators
- Maryland Paycheck Calculator: take-home pay with state and county income tax
- New Jersey Paycheck Calculator: take-home pay with NJ tax, SDI and family leave
- Pennsylvania Paycheck Calculator: take-home pay with the flat 3.07% tax and local EIT
- Overtime Calculator: time and a half pay
- Bonus Tax Calculator: how much of a bonus you keep
- Federal Tax Withholding Calculator: check your W-4