Jackson, MS Paycheck Calculator 2026

How paychecks work in Mississippi

Jackson, Mississippi residents follow the same statewide payroll rules as everyone else in Mississippi, with the additional local considerations noted below. Every paycheck issued in Mississippi has three federal withholdings — federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare — followed by Mississippi's own withholding rules and any local wage tax that applies where you work. Mississippi has a flat 4.40% state income tax. Mississippi's economy is grounded in agriculture, forestry, gaming on the Gulf Coast, healthcare, and shipbuilding.

This page explains, step by step, how gross wages become take-home pay in Mississippi: what the federal government takes, what the state of Mississippi takes, which cities and localities add their own withholding, and how minimum wage, overtime, and pay-frequency rules interact with common benefits like 401(k) contributions and pre-tax health premiums.

Federal taxes on Mississippi paychecks

Regardless of where you live, the IRS applies the same federal income tax brackets, standard deduction, and FICA contributions. For 2026, the federal tax brackets range from 10% on the first ~$12,400 of taxable income (single) up to 37% on income above roughly $626,000. Most workers land in the 12%, 22%, or 24% brackets after subtracting the $16,100 single (or $32,200 married-jointly) standard deduction.

On top of federal income tax, every Mississippi employee pays FICA: 6.2% Social Security up to a $184,500 wage base, plus 1.45% Medicare on all wages, with an additional 0.9% Medicare surtax on wages over $200,000 (single). Employers match Social Security and Medicare dollar-for-dollar; you only see your half on the stub.

Mississippi state income tax

Mississippi taxes wage income at a flat 4.40%.

Because Mississippi uses a flat rate, every dollar of taxable wage income is taxed at the same rate. This makes Mississippi state withholding simpler to estimate than in states with graduated brackets.

Local wage taxes in Mississippi

No local income taxes.

FICA: Social Security and Medicare

Social Security is the biggest single deduction most middle-income Mississippi workers see besides federal income tax. It funds retirement, disability, and survivor benefits, and applies at 6.2% until you have earned $184,500 for the year (2026). If you earn more than that, Social Security stops for the remainder of the year — a highly visible bump in take-home pay for high earners late in the calendar year.

Medicare has no cap. All wages are hit at 1.45%, and an extra 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax applies to any wages above $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (married filing jointly). Employers begin withholding the additional 0.9% the pay period you cross $200,000, whether or not you'll actually owe it after year-end.

Overtime rules for Mississippi employees

Follows federal FLSA: 1.5x for hours over 40/week.

Overtime pay itself is taxed exactly the same way as regular wages — there is no special overtime tax rate. But because a paycheck with lots of overtime looks temporarily much larger, employer withholding formulas may withhold a higher percentage than your true annual rate. That withholding is reconciled at tax time via your federal 1040 and Mississippi state return, so if you consistently work overtime you may want to review your W-4 to avoid over-withholding.

Minimum wage in Mississippi

The current minimum wage in Mississippi is $7.25 per hour. Mississippi has no state minimum wage; the federal $7.25 applies. At 40 hours per week and 52 weeks per year, that equates to roughly $15,080 in gross annual wages before overtime.

Pay frequency rules

At least twice per month for manufacturing and public service employers with 50+ workers. Most private-sector employees in Mississippi are paid either weekly or bi-weekly, with salaried professionals often on a semi-monthly schedule. Choosing the right pay-frequency assumption is important when using the calculator above, because the same annual salary produces different per-paycheck amounts depending on whether it's split over 26 (bi-weekly) or 24 (semi-monthly) periods.

Example take-home pay in Mississippi

The table below shows estimated federal, FICA, and Mississippi state tax for a single filer at several common salary levels, using 2026 rules and the standard deduction. Bi-weekly amounts assume 26 paychecks per year.

Common Mississippi payroll deductions to watch

• 401(k) contributions — pre-tax dollars reduce federal (and, in Mississippi, state) income tax. The 2026 employee limit is $24,500 ($32,000 if age 50+).
• Pre-tax health premiums — Section 125 cafeteria plan contributions reduce federal, state, and FICA-taxable wages.
• HSA contributions — for high-deductible health plans, HSA money is pre-tax at both federal and state levels in Mississippi.
• Garnishments, child support, and Roth 401(k) — these post-tax deductions do not reduce taxable wages but still cut take-home pay.
• Mississippi cut its top rate to 4.4% in 2026 with plans to reach 4% by 2026.
• Mississippi has no tax on retirement income, making it attractive to retirees.

Key industries and pay levels in Mississippi

Mississippi's top industries include Agriculture, Forestry, Gaming, Healthcare, and Shipbuilding. Major employers like Ingalls Shipbuilding, Nissan Canton, University of Mississippi Medical Center, and Sanderson Farms anchor a large share of state payrolls, and pay levels tend to track industry mix — states heavy on technology, finance, and aerospace typically show higher median household income than states dominated by agriculture, tourism, or retail.