Working full time at $25 an hour ($52,000 a year) in Iowa, a single filer takes home about $42,638 a year, $3,553 a month or $20.50 an hour, after federal tax, FICA and $1,324 Iowa income tax.
#17 of 51for take-home at this pay
Where the money goes
Breakdown
| Yearly | Monthly | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $52,000 | $4,333 |
| Federal income tax | $4,060 | $338 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | $3,224 | $269 |
| Medicare | $754 | $63 |
| Iowa income tax | $1,324 | $110 |
| Take-home | $42,638 | $3,553 |
| Federal marginal rate | 12% | |
| Iowa marginal rate | 3.80% |
Same pay in other states
Highest take-home at this pay: Alaska. Middle: Wisconsin. Lowest: Oregon.
Your tax bracket at this pay
Your federal taxable income is about $35,900 (after the $16,100 standard deduction), which puts the top slice of your pay in the 12% bracket ($12,400 to $50,400). You have about $14,500 of room before the next dollar is taxed at 22%. Only that top slice is taxed at 12%: your average federal rate is 7.8%, and all taxes together (federal, FICA, state) take 18.0% of gross pay. A $1,000 raise would add about $766 to your take-home.
| Federal bracket | Your income in it | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% on $0–$12,400 | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% on $12,400–$50,400 | $23,500 | $2,820 |
| Rate | Federal | Combined with state and FICA |
|---|---|---|
| Marginal (next dollar) | 12% | 23.4% |
| Effective (average) | 7.8% | 18.0% |
Compared with the Iowa median
$52,000 is 69% of the Iowa median household income of $75,059 (Census ACS 2020–2024 median; households can have more than one earner, so a single salary is not directly comparable).
Affordability snapshot
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Rent budget (30% of gross) | $1,300/mo |
| Home price at 30% of gross (10% down) | $169,000 |
| Iowa median home value | $208,000 (Census 2020–2024) |
Rule of thumb only: housing at 30% of gross monthly pay. Home price assumes a 30-year fixed at the Freddie Mac average of 7.40% (week of 2026-10-15), 10% down, the Iowa median effective property tax rate and about 0.35% a year for insurance. Lenders also weigh debts, credit and PMI.
401(k) and HSA effect
| Contribution | Saved | Take-home cut | Tax saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6% to a 401(k) ($3,120/yr) | $3,120 | $2,627 | $493 |
| Max 401(k) ($24,500) | $24,500 | $20,649 | $3,851 |
| Max HSA, self-only ($4,400, via payroll) | $4,400 | $3,368 | $1,032 |
Pre-tax 401(k) deferrals cut federal and Iowa income tax but not Social Security or Medicare; payroll HSA contributions also skip FICA. 2026 limits: 401(k) $24,500 (under 50), HSA $4,400 self-only (IRS). Some states tax HSA contributions; this estimate assumes they follow federal rules.
What applies at this income
- You are under the 2026 Roth IRA income limit for single filers ($153,000 of modified AGI), so you can contribute the full amount.
Iowa jobs that typically pay about $52,000
$52,000 is above the median pay of 51 of the 100 common occupations we track in Iowa (BLS OEWS, May 2025). These have a Iowa median between $50,960 and $53,040:
| Occupation | Iowa median | vs this pay |
|---|---|---|
| General Maintenance and Repair Workers | $52,160 | +$160 |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $52,250 | +$250 |
Where $52,000 lands inside other Iowa jobs
For 5 of these occupations, $52,000 is what experienced or top earners make (75th–90th percentile); for 5, it is entry-level pay (10th–25th percentile).
| Occupation | Percentile | Iowa pay at that percentile |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 25th | $51,130 |
| Billing and Posting Clerks | 75th | $51,290 |
| Management Analysts | 10th | $51,370 |
| Accountants and Auditors | 10th | $51,420 |
| Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants | 25th | $51,450 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 75th | $51,560 |
| General Office Clerks | 75th | $51,830 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 25th | $51,890 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | 90th | $52,150 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 75th | $52,400 |
Previous and next pay level
Related
- $23 an hour in Iowa$3,288/mo
- $24 an hour in Iowa$3,420/mo
- $26 an hour in Iowa$3,686/mo
- $27 an hour in Iowa$3,819/mo
- Iowa income tax brackets2026
- Minimum wage in Iowa2026
- Iowa property taxby county
Single filer, W-2 wages only; 2026 IRS brackets and $16,100 standard deduction, FICA (Social Security to $184,500, Medicare +0.9% over $200,000) and state rules per the Tax Foundation (Jan 1, 2026). Local taxes and payroll deductions are excluded. Sources: IRS, SSA, Tax Foundation. Not tax advice.
Frequently asked questions
How much is $25 an hour after taxes in Iowa?
Working full time at $25 an hour ($52,000 a year) in Iowa, a single filer takes home about $42,638 a year, $3,553 a month or $20.50 an hour, after federal tax, FICA and $1,324 Iowa income tax.
How much is $25 an hour per month after taxes in Iowa?
About $3,553 a month, or $1,640 per biweekly paycheck.
How much state tax do I pay on $25 an hour in Iowa?
About $1,324 a year (marginal rate 3.80%).