Two people earning exactly the same salary can take home thousands of dollars apart, depending only on the state they live in. We ran a $75,000 salary, and five others, through the same 2026 federal and state tax engine that powers our paycheck calculator, for all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Key findings
9 states don't tax wages at all. A single filer earning $75,000 keeps $61,592 a year in Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.
Oregon takes the most on a $75,000 salary: $5,062 in state income tax, leaving $56,531, which is $5,062 a year ($422 a month) less than in a no-tax state.
The gap grows with income. At $100,000, Oregon filers keep $7,155 less than in a no-tax state; at $200,000, Oregon filers keep $17,499 less.
Among states that do tax wages, the middle of the pack is around $2,830 of state income tax on $75,000 (Oklahoma).
For each state and salary we calculated 2026 tax for a W-2 employee with no other income, taking the standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 married filing jointly) and no pre-tax retirement contributions:
Federal income tax from the 2026 IRS brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32).
Social Security at 6.2% up to the $184,500 wage base and Medicare at 1.45%, plus 0.9% above $200,000.
State income tax from each state's 2026 brackets, standard deductions, personal exemptions and credits, including law changes that took effect during 2026 (Georgia, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia and Arkansas) and special rules such as Oregon's federal tax subtraction and Maryland's exemption phase-out.
Married figures assume the whole salary is one household's combined wages. Local income taxes (for example New York City, Ohio and Pennsylvania cities, Maryland counties) and state payroll programs such as paid-leave contributions are not included, so take-home in those places is somewhat lower. State figures were checked against the Tax Foundation's 2026 state income tax tables and each state's revenue department.
You're welcome to use these figures, charts and the CSV in articles and research, with a link to this page as the source. For media questions, email hello@aiprecisetools.com.
AIPreciseTools Research, "Take-Home Pay on the Same Salary in Every State (2026)," November 12, 2026. https://aiprecisetools.com/studies/take-home-pay-by-state-2026
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the highest take-home pay in 2026?
The 9 states with no tax on wages tie for the highest: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. A single filer on $75,000 keeps $61,592 there.
Which state takes the most out of a $75,000 paycheck?
Oregon. A single filer pays about $5,062 in state income tax and keeps $56,531, $5,062 less than in a no-tax state.
Does this include local income taxes?
No. Cities and counties in several states, including New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland, add local income tax on top. The paycheck calculator lets you add a local rate.
Can I use this data in an article?
Yes. Please credit AIPreciseTools and link to this page. The full dataset is available as a CSV download.