What this comparison does
State income tax can change your take-home pay by thousands of dollars a year. Enter your yearly wages, any pre-tax deductions and your filing status, and the table shows the 2026 state income tax on the same pay in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, from the lowest to the highest, with the share of your pay and the difference from your own state.
How it is worked out
For each state: taxable income = wages − pre-tax deductions − the state's standard deduction and personal exemption; tax = the state's 2026 brackets applied to taxable income − basic credits. For married couples filing jointly, the bracket thresholds, deductions and credits are doubled. The brackets and deductions come from the Tax Foundation's table of 2026 state income tax rates, the same numbers our paycheck calculator uses. Example: $75,000 single in Illinois (4.95% flat, $2,925 exemption) is ($75,000 − $2,925) × 4.95% = $3,567.71.
Nine states have no tax on wages: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Washington taxes some capital gains, so a state with no wage tax is not always a state with no income tax at all.
What the table leaves out
- Local income taxes, such as in New York City, some Maryland counties, Ohio and Pennsylvania cities and many others.
- Credits and deductions beyond the basic ones, and special rules for retirement income, capital gains and other non-wage income.
- Other state costs that matter when you move: sales tax, property tax and the cost of housing.
Frequently asked questions
Which states have no income tax on wages?
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.
Which state has the highest income tax?
It depends on your income. California has the highest top rate (13.3% on very high incomes), but on a middle income other states can take more. The table ranks the states on your own pay.
If I live in one state and work in another, which state taxes me?
Usually the state where you work can tax the wages earned there, and your home state taxes all your income but gives a credit for tax paid to the other state. Some neighboring states have agreements that change this. Check with both states' tax agencies.
Does this include federal income tax?
No. Federal income tax is the same wherever you live; use the tax bracket or paycheck calculator for it.
Is my information saved?
No. Everything stays on this page.