States With No Income Tax in 2026: Take-Home Compared

Salary • Published October 23, 2026 • Updated October 23, 2026

Written by Hassan Raza. Fact-checked against official sources (IRS, SSA, state revenue departments). Last reviewed October 23, 2026.

If you're comparing job offers in different states, or weighing a remote role that lets you choose where to live, state income tax is one of the few parts of your paycheck that changes completely with your address. Nine states don't tax wages at all, and on a good salary the gap runs into thousands of dollars a year.

Knowing which nine states they are is the easy part. The useful questions are how big the gap is in real dollars and what those states charge instead. Our $60,000 a year after taxes guide walks through one salary paycheck by paycheck, so this page skips that and compares states side by side.

Every figure here is an estimate for a single filer with no pre-tax deductions, using 2026 federal rules. Your actual pay depends on your filing status, deductions, local taxes and your employer's payroll setup. Check your own numbers with our take-home pay calculator.

The List: 9 States With No Tax on Wages (2026)

Federal taxes still apply everywhere. Federal income tax, Social Security (6.2% up to the 2026 wage base of $184,500) and Medicare (1.45%) are the same no matter which state you live in.

Take-Home Pay: $75,000 and $100,000 Compared

These numbers come from the same engine as our take-home pay calculator: single filer, 2026 federal brackets, $16,100 standard deduction, no 401(k) or other pre-tax deductions, and state-level tax only (no city or county income tax).

$75,000 salary

$100,000 salary

Figures may differ by a dollar because of rounding. All of these are estimates. Federal, FICA, Illinois (4.95% after the $2,925 exemption), New York and the payroll-program figures follow the 2026 rates published by the IRS, SSA and the state agencies in the Sources. California's income tax line is an estimate based on its inflation-indexed brackets, so treat it as approximate.

Reading the tables: at $100,000, the gap between Texas and California is about $6,200 a year, roughly $500 a month. At $75,000 it's about $3,600. The gap grows as income rises, because CA and NY have graduated brackets.

See any state's breakdown on our state pages, for example Texas, Florida, Washington, California and New York.

Don't forget local income taxes

Some places stack a city or county income tax on top of state tax. New York City is the best-known case. The New York figures above exclude NYC tax, so a NYC resident takes home less. No-income-tax states generally don't have local wage taxes either, but always check the specific city.

Payroll Programs: Washington Is the Exception

"No income tax" doesn't always mean "no state deductions." Washington has two employee-paid payroll premiums in 2026:

• Paid Family and Medical Leave: a total premium of 1.13% of wages, with employees paying 71.43% of it (about 0.81% of pay) up to the Social Security wage base, per the Washington Employment Security Department.
• WA Cares long-term care: 0.58% of wages, with no cap, unless you hold an approved exemption (WA Cares Fund).

Together that's about 1.39% of pay. Small next to a state income tax, but it does show up on your stub.

For comparison, California withholds State Disability Insurance (SDI) at 1.3% of all wages in 2026 (EDD), and New York withholds Paid Family Leave at 0.432% of wages up to $411.91 a year in 2026 (NY Paid Family Leave), plus a small disability (DBL) deduction.

The Taxes They Use Instead

States still need revenue from somewhere. No-income-tax states usually lean harder on other taxes:

• Sales tax. For example, the statewide rate is 6.25% in Texas (Comptroller), 6% in Florida (FL DOR), 7% in Tennessee (TN DOR) and 6.5% in Washington (WA DOR). Local sales taxes are often added on top. Alaska has no statewide sales tax but allows local ones, and New Hampshire has no general sales tax.
• Property tax. It's set locally and can be significant. Texas, for example, has no state property tax, but local governments levy it (Texas Comptroller). If you'll own a home, look up the actual rate for the county or school district.
• Other taxes and fees, such as fuel, vehicle registration, or business taxes that can be passed on in prices.

How much this costs you depends on how much you spend and whether you rent or own. A renter with moderate spending usually comes out ahead in a no-income-tax state. A homeowner in a high-property-tax area may give back a good part of the savings.

Should You Move for Taxes?

Taxes are one part of the decision. Before you pack up, compare:

1. Pay. Some employers adjust pay by location. A lower salary can cancel out the tax saving. If you're negotiating a remote role, ask whether the salary band depends on location.
2. Housing and living costs. Rent, insurance (home and auto insurance vary a lot by state) and utilities.
3. Your income level. At lower incomes the dollar savings are smaller, because state income taxes take a smaller share.
4. Where you'll actually work. In general, you owe tax to the state where you live, and often to the state where you physically work. A few states can tax remote workers based on the employer's location, so check both states' rules if you work remotely for an out-of-state employer.
5. Timing. Moving mid-year usually means filing part-year resident returns in both states.

A quick way to compare is to run both states in our take-home pay calculator, then subtract the rent difference. If the net is small, taxes probably shouldn't decide the move.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which states have no income tax in 2026?

Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming don't tax wages. Washington still taxes certain long-term capital gains (not wages), and New Hampshire's tax on interest and dividends was repealed for periods after December 31, 2024.

How much more do you take home in Texas than in California?

In our 2026 estimate for a single filer with no pre-tax deductions, about $3,600 a year more at $75,000 and about $6,200 more at $100,000. It varies with your deductions and filing status.

Do I still pay federal taxes in a no-income-tax state?

Yes. Federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare apply in every state.

Does Washington take anything out of my paycheck?

Yes. In 2026, employees pay a Paid Family and Medical Leave premium (about 0.81% of wages) and a 0.58% WA Cares premium unless exempt.

If I work remotely from Texas for a company in New York, do I owe New York tax?

Possibly. New York has a "convenience of the employer" rule that can tax nonresidents who work remotely for a New York employer by choice rather than necessity. Check with the New York Department of Taxation or a tax professional.

Are no-income-tax states cheaper overall?

Not always. Sales, property and insurance costs can offset some of the savings. Compare your own budget.

Keep Going

Want to run your own numbers? Start with the take-home pay calculator or jump to a state page such as Texas or California. For one salary in detail, see $60,000 a year after taxes, and browse the rest of our salary guides. If a move comes with a pay change, the raise calculator shows what the difference is worth.

Tax estimates are for general information only and aren't tax advice. Rules change, so confirm with the IRS, your state revenue department or a tax professional.

Sources

1. IRS, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 brackets and standard deduction): https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-25-32.pdf
2. SSA, "Contribution and Benefit Base": https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/cbb.html
3. State revenue departments, as linked in the table above (AK, FL, NV, NH, SD, TN, TX, WA, WY)
4. Washington ESD, 2026 PFML premium rate: https://esd.wa.gov/about-us/news-release/2025/paid-family-medical-leave-premium-rate-increases-113-2026
5. WA Cares Fund: https://wacaresfund.wa.gov/toolkit/paid-leave
6. California EDD, "Rates and Withholding": https://edd.ca.gov/en/payroll_taxes/rates_and_withholding/
7. New York State, Publication NYS-50-T-NYS (withholding tables): https://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/publications/withholding/nys50_t_nys.pdf
8. Illinois DOR, IL-700-T withholding tables: https://tax.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/tax/forms/withholding/documents/currentyear/il-700-t.pdf
9. Texas Comptroller, sales and property tax pages: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/sales/ and https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/
10. New York State Paid Family Leave, "2026 Updates": https://paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/2026
11. Washington DOR, "New tiered rates for Washington's capital gains tax": https://dor.wa.gov/forms-publications/publications-subject/special-notices/new-tiered-rates-washingtons-capital-gains-tax
12. Illinois DOR, Bulletin FY 2026-15, "What's New for Illinois Income Taxes" ($2,925 exemption): https://tax.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/tax/research/publications/bulletins/documents/2026/fy-2026-15.pdf

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