Take-home pay study 2026 (2026)

Key findings

On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps between $55,417 in Oregon and $61,593 in Alaska, a difference of $6,176 a year. We ran the same worker through the 51 tax systems (50 states and DC) using this site's 2026 calculator.

9 states tax no wages, and they lead the nominal ranking. Everyone else pays a state income tax that averages $2,428 at $75,000 (including state disability and paid-leave premiums where they apply).
The average effective total tax rate (federal, FICA, state and payroll programs) is 16.7% at $40,000, 21.1% at $75,000 and 27.9% at $150,000.
Federal tax and FICA are the same everywhere, so the difference between states comes only from state income tax and state payroll programs.
Cost of living changes the story. After adjusting for regional prices, South Dakota ranks first and Hawaii last for purchasing power at $75,000.

Best and worst states at $75,000

Rank	State	Take-home / year	Biweekly	Total tax rate
T-1	Alaska	$61,593	$2,369	17.9%
T-1	Florida	$61,593	$2,369	17.9%
T-1	Nevada	$61,593	$2,369	17.9%
T-1	New Hampshire	$61,593	$2,369	17.9%
T-1	South Dakota	$61,593	$2,369	17.9%
T-1	Tennessee	$61,593	$2,369	17.9%
T-1	Texas	$61,593	$2,369	17.9%
T-1	Wyoming	$61,593	$2,369	17.9%
9	North Dakota	$61,411	$2,362	18.1%
10	Washington	$60,552	$2,329	19.3%

Ten states that keep the least (worst first)

Rank	State	Take-home / year	Biweekly	Total tax rate
51	Oregon	$55,417	$2,131	26.1%
50	Hawaii	$57,321	$2,205	23.6%
49	Delaware	$57,684	$2,219	23.1%
48	Minnesota	$57,686	$2,219	23.1%
47	Massachusetts	$57,718	$2,220	23.0%
46	New York	$57,784	$2,222	23.0%
45	Maine	$57,833	$2,224	22.9%
44	California	$57,843	$2,225	22.9%
43	Illinois	$58,025	$2,232	22.6%
42	Virginia	$58,094	$2,234	22.5%

The full 51-row ranking is on the take-home pay by state page, and each state has its own paycheck calculator.

Effective tax rate at three salaries

Who pays the most changes with income, because state systems differ in how fast they rise.

Salary	Keeps the most	Keeps the least	Gap / year	Median total tax rate
$40,000	Alaska ($34,320)	Oregon ($31,417)	$2,903	16.9%
$75,000	Alaska ($61,593)	Oregon ($55,417)	$6,176	21.3%
$150,000	Alaska ($113,791)	Oregon ($100,349)	$13,442	28.2%

The gap between the best and worst state grows with income: high earners have more to gain from moving to a state without an income tax, while low earners see little difference because most graduated states tax the first dollars lightly.

After cost of living

A dollar goes further in some states than others. Dividing take-home pay by each state's price level (BEA regional price parity, US average = 100) gives a purchasing-power ranking. The states that gain the most places after the adjustment, and the ones that lose the most, at $75,000:

Climbs after adjustment	Nominal rank	Adjusted rank	Price level
Alabama	#41	#13	88.8
Kansas	#39	#16	90.1
Oklahoma	#27	#8	87.8
West Virginia	#25	#10	89.5
Mississippi	#17	#3	87.0

Falls after adjustment	Nominal rank	Adjusted rank	Price level
Washington	#10	#43	107.0
Florida	#2	#33	103.4
New Hampshire	#4	#35	104.2
Alaska	#1	#30	102.4
Nevada	#3	#24	100.0

Median household income (Census ACS 2024) ranges from $59,127 to $109,707 across states, so the $75,000 benchmark is a typical earner in some places and well above or below it in others.

Method and limits

Single filer, salaried, paid biweekly, standard W-4, no pre-tax deductions, no dependents, no local taxes. Federal figures use IRS Publication 15-T (2026). State figures come from each state's own 2026 documents and are listed on every state page with a verification date. Read the full methodology. Vermont's bracket thresholds are still being confirmed against the official schedule, so treat its figure as provisional. This is an estimate, not tax advice, and real paychecks vary with employer payroll methods and personal circumstances.

Frequently asked questions

Which state has the highest take-home pay in 2026?

At $75,000 for a single filer, Alaska keeps the most ($61,593), tied with the other states that do not tax wages. Among states that do, the lowest total burden depends on the salary.

How much does state choice change take-home pay?

At $75,000, the gap between the best and worst state is $6,176 a year ($238 per biweekly paycheck).

Does a no-income-tax state always win?

Not after cost of living. Housing and prices can outweigh the tax saving, which is why the ranking changes when take-home pay is divided by regional price levels.

What did this study include?

Federal income tax (IRS Publication 15-T method), Social Security, Medicare, state income tax and state payroll programs such as SDI and paid family leave, for a single filer with no pre-tax deductions. Local taxes are excluded.