What it costs to live and work in Pennsylvania: the minimum wage, state income tax, sales tax and median rent, from official sources, and what they mean for your monthly budget.
| Pennsylvania | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $7.25 an hour | US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division: State Minimum Wage Laws |
| State income tax | 3.07 % flat | Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 |
| State sales tax | 6 % | Tax Foundation: State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 (rates as of January 1, 2026) |
| Median gross rent | $1,252 a month (2024) | US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table B25064 Median Gross Rent (Dollars), by state |
Pennsylvania's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, the same as the federal rate.
Pennsylvania taxes income at a flat 3.07 %.
The state sales tax is 6 %; a few localities add their own rate (average local rate 0.34 %).
What income does rent in Pennsylvania take?
A common rule of thumb is to keep rent at or below 30 % of gross income. At the median rent of $1,252 a month, that means a household income of about $50,100 a year before tax.
Good to know
- Most Pennsylvania municipalities and school districts levy a local earned income tax; on average it comes to about 0.99 % of adjusted gross income (Tax Foundation).
Sources
- US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division: State Minimum Wage Laws (2026-07-01)
- Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026-02-19)
- Tax Foundation: State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026 (rates as of January 1, 2026) (2026-07-06)
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table B25064 Median Gross Rent (Dollars), by state (2024)