Kentucky Paycheck Calculator

Bowling Green, Kentucky withholds a 2.00% local occupational (payroll) tax on wages earned in the city — $20.00 out of every $1,000 you earn.

Bowling Green Paycheck Calculator

Estimate your Bowling Green, Kentucky take-home pay for 2026 — after the 2.00% local occupational tax, federal income tax, the 3.5% state flat tax, Social Security, and Medicare.

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Kentucky · 2026 tax year · salaried or hourly

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What is the local tax rate in Bowling Green, Kentucky?

Bowling Green levies a 2.00% occupational (payroll) tax on wages earned in the city, which sits in Warren County. The calculator above shows your real Bowling Green take-home pay after that local tax, federal withholding, Kentucky's 3.5% flat tax, and FICA.

Bowling Green raised the occupational license fee from 1.85% to 2.00% effective January 1, 2024.

To compare it against every other Kentucky jurisdiction, see the full Kentucky occupational tax rates by city and county.

Rate verified August 27, 2026 against City of Bowling Green Office of Occupational License — in effect since January 1, 2024.

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Quick facts

  • Bowling Green's 2.00% occupational tax is withheld on wages earned inside the city, no matter where you live.
  • On a $2,000 paycheck the local tax alone is $40.00 — before federal, state, and FICA.
  • Because it's based on where you work, commuters into Bowling Green generally owe it even if they live in another county.
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Frequently asked questions

Bowling Green, Kentucky withholds a 2.00% local occupational (payroll) tax on wages earned in the city — $20.00 out of every $1,000 you earn.

Bowling Green withholds 2.00% of your gross wages for the local occupational tax — about $20.00 on every $1,000 of pay. It is withheld on gross wages, before federal income tax, Kentucky's 3.5% flat state tax, and FICA (Social Security and Medicare) are applied.

The 2.00% Bowling Green occupational tax is based on where you work, not where you live. If you earn wages in Bowling Green (Warren County), it is generally withheld even if you live in another city or county. If you live in Bowling Green but work elsewhere, you usually owe that other jurisdiction's rate instead.

A Bowling Green paycheck is reduced by four layers: federal income tax (progressive brackets), Kentucky's 3.5% flat state tax after the $3,360 standard deduction, FICA at 6.2% Social Security plus 1.45% Medicare, and Bowling Green's 2.00% occupational tax. Enter your pay above to see all four broken out line by line.

Kentucky paycheck calculators by city

Compare take-home pay in another Kentucky city, or run the statewide calculator:

Sources & references

  1. Employer Payroll Withholding — 2026 Withholding Tax FormulaKentucky Department of Revenue
  2. Publication 15-T, Federal Income Tax Withholding MethodsInternal Revenue Service
  3. Contribution and Benefit Base (Social Security wage base)Social Security Administration