Moving states is one of the few legal ways to give yourself an instant raise. On a $100,000 salary, the same job pays $79,180 after tax in the best states and $71,303 in Oregon, a gap of $7,877 a year. Here is the full 2026 ranking.
The nine states with no tax on wages
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming don’t tax wage income. Washington (paid family leave and WA Cares) charges employees small payroll premiums, so it trails the others slightly. Remember that “no income tax” states often make up the revenue elsewhere. Texas and New Hampshire, for example, have above-average property taxes. Our mortgage calculator includes each state’s average property tax rate.
Full ranking: take-home pay by state
| Rank | State | $50,000 | $100,000 | $200,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $42,355 | $79,180 | $148,927 |
| 2 | Florida | $42,355 | $79,180 | $148,927 |
| 3 | Nevada | $42,355 | $79,180 | $148,927 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $42,355 | $79,180 | $148,927 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $42,355 | $79,180 | $148,927 |
| 6 | Tennessee | $42,355 | $79,180 | $148,927 |
| 7 | Texas | $42,355 | $79,180 | $148,927 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $42,355 | $79,180 | $148,927 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $42,355 | $78,489 | $146,286 |
| 10 | Washington | $41,661 | $77,793 | $146,278 |
| 11 | Ohio | $41,756 | $77,199 | $144,196 |
| 12 | Arizona | $41,314 | $76,889 | $144,136 |
| 13 | Louisiana | $41,241 | $76,566 | $143,313 |
| 14 | Indiana | $40,910 | $76,260 | $143,057 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $40,820 | $76,110 | $142,787 |
| 16 | Iowa | $41,107 | $76,032 | $141,979 |
| 17 | Mississippi | $41,087 | $75,912 | $141,659 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $40,723 | $75,798 | $142,045 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $40,869 | $75,699 | $141,456 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $41,171 | $75,611 | $140,458 |
| 21 | Missouri | $40,987 | $75,510 | $140,464 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $40,960 | $75,510 | $140,707 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $40,618 | $75,493 | $141,340 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $40,834 | $75,295 | $140,222 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $40,651 | $75,226 | $140,473 |
| 26 | Michigan | $40,481 | $75,181 | $140,678 |
| 27 | Alabama | $40,286 | $75,079 | $141,004 |
| 28 | Colorado | $40,643 | $75,048 | $140,024 |
| 29 | Vermont | $41,114 | $75,040 | $137,514 |
| 30 | Idaho | $40,813 | $74,988 | $139,435 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $40,547 | $74,932 | $139,929 |
| 32 | Montana | $40,762 | $74,891 | $138,988 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $40,778 | $74,752 | $138,968 |
| 34 | Utah | $40,658 | $74,680 | $139,927 |
| 35 | Georgia | $40,383 | $74,613 | $139,170 |
| 36 | New Jersey | $40,930 | $74,580 | $137,658 |
| 37 | Kansas | $40,365 | $74,400 | $138,567 |
| 38 | Illinois | $40,025 | $74,375 | $139,172 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $40,512 | $74,337 | $138,084 |
| 40 | Virginia | $40,294 | $74,244 | $138,241 |
| 41 | Massachusetts | $39,845 | $73,940 | $138,298 |
| 42 | Delaware | $40,257 | $73,921 | $137,068 |
| 43 | New York | $40,005 | $73,877 | $137,156 |
| 44 | Connecticut | $40,105 | $73,705 | $136,755 |
| 45 | District of Columbia | $40,521 | $73,649 | $134,896 |
| 46 | Minnesota | $40,258 | $73,463 | $135,246 |
| 47 | Maine | $39,912 | $73,026 | $134,603 |
| 48 | California | $40,656 | $72,810 | $131,957 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $39,821 | $72,720 | $134,591 |
| 50 | Maryland | $38,953 | $71,803 | $132,808 |
| 51 | Oregon | $38,794 | $71,303 | $129,865 |
What drives the differences
- Top marginal rates. California (up to 13.3%), New York and New Jersey take the most from high earners.
- Flat taxes. States such as Illinois (4.95%), Pennsylvania (3.07%), Arizona (2.5%) and North Carolina (3.99%) tax everyone at one rate, which is cheap for high earners and less so for low earners.
- Payroll programs. California’s 1.3% SDI has no wage cap, so it costs $1,300 on $100,000.
- Local taxes. Maryland counties, New York City and many cities in Ohio and Pennsylvania add local income tax on top of the state figures.
Check your own situation
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the lowest taxes on salary?
The nine states with no wage income tax tie for first place: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wyoming and (after small payroll premiums) Washington.
Which state takes the most tax from a $100k salary?
Oregon, where a single filer keeps $71,303 in 2026.
If I work remotely, which state taxes me?
Generally the state you live and work in. A few states, including New York, may tax remote workers of an in-state employer under a “convenience of the employer” rule.
Do I pay state tax where my company is based?
Usually not, unless you also physically work there. Some neighbouring states have reciprocity agreements that let you pay only your home state.
