Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania paycheck calculator
Wilkes-Barre residents pay a 3% local earned income tax (2.5% to the municipality and 0.5% to the Wilkes-Barre Area School District), higher than the 1% median in Pennsylvania. Everyone who works in Wilkes-Barre also pays the $52 local services tax. On a $60,000 salary that is $1,852.00 a year in local tax.
Your paycheck
Take-home per paycheck$1,794.37
| Item | Per paycheck | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $2,307.69 | $60,000.00 |
| Federal income tax | -$193.08 | -$5,020.08 |
| Social Security | -$143.08 | -$3,720.00 |
| Medicare | -$33.46 | -$870.00 |
| Pennsylvania income tax | -$70.85 | -$1,842.00 |
| Local earned income tax | -$69.23 | -$1,800.00 |
| Local services tax (Wilkes Barre) | -$2.00 | -$52.00 |
| PA unemployment (employee share) | -$1.62 | -$42.00 |
| Take-home pay | $1,794.37 | $46,653.92 |
Local tax rate 3%. Total taxes are 22.2% of gross pay.
Earned income tax is your home rate (3%), the higher of that and Wilkes Barre's non-resident rate (1%).
Estimates for planning only, not tax advice. Your employer's payroll may differ. Results assume you live and work in Pennsylvania.
Wilkes-Barre local taxes
Residents pay the municipal and school district earned income tax together. People who work here but live elsewhere pay the higher of their home rate and Wilkes-Barre's non-resident rate.
| School district | Resident rate | Non-resident rate | Local services tax | PSD code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes-Barre Area School District | 3% (2.5% + 0.5%) | 1% | $52 a year | 400907 |
Resident rate shows municipal + school district. The local services tax is withheld in equal amounts each paycheck from everyone who works here.
Tax collector: Berkheimer Tax Administrator, (610) 599-3139.
Take-home pay in Wilkes-Barre at common salaries
Single filer, paid every two weeks, living and working in Wilkes-Barre, no 401(k).
| Salary | Take-home per year | Per paycheck | Local taxes per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $31,811.98 | $1,223.54 | $1,252.00 |
| $60,000 | $46,653.92 | $1,794.37 | $1,852.00 |
| $80,000 | $60,145.94 | $2,313.30 | $2,452.00 |
| $100,000 | $72,987.96 | $2,807.23 | $3,052.00 |
Living in one place and working in another
Pennsylvania employers withhold the higher of two rates: the resident rate where you live, or the non-resident rate where you work. Wilkes-Barre's non-resident rate is 1%. If you live somewhere with a lower resident rate and work in Wilkes-Barre, you pay 1%. The local services tax always goes to the place you work. Enter both places in the calculator to see which rate applies.
Why a 401(k) saves less tax in Pennsylvania
401(k) contributions lower your federal income tax, but Pennsylvania taxes them: the 3.07% state tax and the local earned income tax still apply to the money you put in. Health premiums taken out under a Section 125 plan do lower both.
Other Luzerne County and large Pennsylvania municipalities
- Hazleton 2.125%
- Philadelphia 3.735%
- Pittsburgh 3%
- Allentown 1.975%
- Reading 3.6%
Sources
- Local earned income tax and local services tax: PA DCED tax register (PSD codes and EIT rates)
- Pennsylvania income tax (3.07%): PA Department of Revenue; unemployment: PA Department of Labor & Industry
- Philadelphia Wage Tax: City of Philadelphia
- Federal withholding: IRS Publication 15-T (2026); Social Security and Medicare: IRS Publication 15 (2026)
Rates current as of October 9, 2026. See how we calculate for every rule we apply.