How much does a Firefighters actually take home in Kentucky?
4.0% flat rate — 17.9% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2024 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-04-02
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Firefighters earning $34,430 in Kentucky (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $34,430 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$2,147 | 6.2% |
| Kentucky State Income Tax | -$1,377 | 4.0% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$2,134 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$499 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$6,158 | 17.9% |
| Take-Home Pay | $28,271 | 82.1% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Firefighters in Kentucky.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $24,960 | -$3,943 | $21,016 | 15.8% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $28,920 | -$4,855 | $24,064 | 16.8% |
| Median (P50) | $34,430 | -$6,158 | $28,271 | 17.9% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $47,640 | -$9,282 | $38,357 | 19.5% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $57,320 | -$11,572 | $45,747 | 20.2% |
After federal income tax ($2,147), state tax ($1,377), and FICA ($2,633), a Firefighters in Kentucky takes home $28,271 per year — or $2,355 per month. The effective tax rate of 17.9% is relatively low compared to the national range.
Where does a Firefighters keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Kentucky ranks #48 out of 49 states for Firefighters after-tax take-home pay.
A Firefighters in Kentucky earning a median salary of $34,430 will take home approximately $28,271 per year after federal income tax ($2,147), state income tax ($1,377), and FICA ($2,633). That is $2,355 per month or $1,087 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Firefighters in Kentucky is 17.9%, broken down as: federal income tax 6.2%, Kentucky state tax 4.0%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Kentucky has a 4.0% flat rate. On a Firefighters's median salary of $34,430, the state income tax amounts to $1,377 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.0%.
After all taxes, a Firefighters in Kentucky takes home approximately $2,355 per month, or about $13.59 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2024 BLS median salary of $34,430 for Firefighters in Kentucky, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), Kentucky state income tax (4.0% flat rate), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $28,271/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR