California
Top rate 13.3% · 5 major cities · CoL index 142
Texas
No state income tax · 5 major cities · CoL index 93
Florida
No state income tax · 5 major cities · CoL index 103
New York
Top rate 10.9% · 5 major cities · CoL index 139
Pennsylvania
Top rate 3.07% · 5 major cities · CoL index 95
Illinois
Top rate 4.95% · 5 major cities · CoL index 94
Ohio
Top rate 3.5% · 5 major cities · CoL index 89
Georgia
Top rate 5.39% · 5 major cities · CoL index 93
North Carolina
Top rate 4.25% · 5 major cities · CoL index 96
Michigan
Top rate 4.25% · 5 major cities · CoL index 91
New Jersey
Top rate 10.75% · 5 major cities · CoL index 120
Virginia
Top rate 5.75% · 5 major cities · CoL index 102
Washington
No state income tax · 5 major cities · CoL index 114
Arizona
Top rate 2.5% · 5 major cities · CoL index 102
Massachusetts
Top rate 5.0% · 5 major cities · CoL index 132
States With No Income Tax
Nine states charge zero income tax on wages. Currently covered here: Texas, Florida, and Washington. The others — Alaska, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming — coming soon.
How We Calculate State Tax
Our state calculator uses each state's top marginal rate as an approximation. Your actual effective rate depends on:
- Filing status (single, married, head of household)
- Total taxable income after federal adjustments
- State-specific deductions (standard or itemized)
- State credits (EITC, child tax credit, retirement income exclusions)
- Local taxes (city/county wage taxes in states like PA, OH, MI, NY)
Moving for Tax Savings: Does It Make Sense?
Moving from a 10% state to a 0% state on a $150,000 salary saves about $15,000 a year. But factor in cost-of-living differences, property tax, quality of public services (schools, infrastructure), and lifestyle fit. Someone making $80k moving from Dallas to NYC for a $120k job loses most of the raise to state/city tax + cost of living.