How Maryland Taxes Your Paycheck
Maryland's paycheck math has a feature that catches new residents off guard: the county piggyback tax. Each Maryland county (and Baltimore City) levies its own income tax on top of the state rate, collected via the same state withholding. Where you live in Maryland matters as much as your salary.
State portion is moderate. Maryland's state income tax is progressive, topping out at 5.75% for income above $250,000 single. The mid-bracket 4.75% rate applies to most middle-income earners. A single filer earning $80,000 in 2026 pays about $3,467 in state-only tax — roughly 4.3% of gross.
The county tax is the second layer. Each Maryland county and Baltimore City levies a piggyback income tax of 2.25%–3.20% on Maryland taxable income. Montgomery, Prince George's, and Howard counties sit at the 3.20% top; rural Worcester County sits at 2.25%. Baltimore City is 3.20%. On $80,000 with a county at the 3.20% maximum, that's about $2,376 in county tax — roughly doubling the state-side burden.
Combined, MD is a high-tax state in most counties. An $80,000 earner in Montgomery County pays roughly $5,800 in combined state-and-local income tax — about 7.3% of gross. That's competitive with New York City, just structured differently. The calculator above shows the state-only portion; add 2.25%–3.20% × Maryland taxable income for your county's contribution.
Standard deduction and personal exemption. Maryland's 2026 standard deduction is 15% of income capped at $2,550 single; the personal exemption is $3,200 per filer. Both are small compared to federal, so MD-taxable income is meaningfully higher than federal-taxable income at the same gross.
FAMLI (paid leave) is in implementation. Maryland enacted FAMLI in 2022, but the contribution start date has been delayed multiple times. Once active, an employee payroll deduction will appear on Maryland paychecks. Check your paystub for the current status.
Cross-river comparison: Virginia. Workers comparing MD to VA for DC-area jobs face a meaningful gap. Virginia's flat-ish 5.75% beats MD's combined ~7%–8% in most major counties. The DC-area state-shopping decision typically favors Virginia for income tax — though MD has its own offsets in housing patterns and commute logistics.
Maryland's economy is anchored by the federal government and contractors in the DC suburbs, biotech around Bethesda and the I-270 corridor, the Port of Baltimore, and the Johns Hopkins healthcare ecosystem. The state runs high-income on average — but the county piggyback ensures the tax burden scales with the salary.
Top Cities in Maryland
The largest population centers in Maryland — and where local tax rates may stack on top of state withholding:
- Baltimore — 569,000 residents
- Columbia — 105,000 residents
- Germantown — 92,000 residents
- Silver Spring — 81,000 residents
How Maryland Compares to Neighboring States
Single-filer take-home on a $75,000 annual salary in 2026, federal + state income tax + FICA only:
| State | Take-Home | vs. Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland (here) | $58,394 | — |
| Delaware | $57,874 | -$520 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,290 | +$896 |
| Virginia | $58,080 | -$314 |
| West Virginia | $58,912 | +$519 |
| Washington D.C. | $58,093 | -$301 |
Take-home reflects single filer, no pre-tax deductions; SDI/PFML and local taxes excluded for an apples-to-apples comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the Maryland state income tax rate?
Maryland has progressive income tax brackets ranging from 2% to 6.5%. Most middle-income earners hit the middle brackets; the top rate applies only above $1,000,000.
How much is taken out of my paycheck in Maryland?
For a single filer earning $75,000 in Maryland (2026), expect roughly $7,670 in federal income tax, $5,738 in FICA, and $3,199 in Maryland state tax — leaving about $58,394 take-home (22.1% effective tax rate). SDI/PFML and local taxes (if any) come out of that as well.
Do Maryland cities tax wages on top of state tax?
Every Maryland county (and Baltimore City) levies a local income tax of 2.25% to 3.20% on top of the state rate.
Is the Maryland median household income enough to live comfortably?
The 2023 ACS reported a Maryland median household income of about $102,900. Whether that's "comfortable" depends heavily on city — Baltimore cost of living can differ substantially from rural areas. Use the calculator above to model your specific salary and deductions.
How does this Maryland paycheck calculator work?
We calculate your annualized gross pay based on the pay frequency you select, then apply the 2025 or 2026 IRS percentage method for federal income tax, the Maryland state tax schedule (if any), Social Security, and Medicare. Pre-tax deductions like 401(k) and Section 125 health premiums reduce your taxable base before withholding is computed. You can switch between salary and hourly modes; hourly mode applies time-and-a-half to hours over 40/week prorated by pay period.