Pick a yearly income and see all 50 states and Washington, DC ranked from the lowest tax to the highest, with what you would save by moving.
All 51 ranked, lowest total tax first
State income taxLocal income taxState payroll program
Federal income tax and Social Security and Medicare are the same in every state, so the ranking is decided by what the state itself takes. “Total tax” adds federal, state and payroll taxes.
Compare up to three states at every income
Each cell is everything taken from pay in that state: total dollars and share of income. The lowest in each row is in green.
20 ideas to pay less, and what these numbers leave out
How this is calculated
Federal 2026 brackets and standard deduction, plus Social Security and Medicare, are identical everywhere. State rules come from the Tax Foundation’s 2026 table of all 50 states and DC, with each state’s standard deduction, exemptions, credits and income phase-outs applied.
Assumes wage income only, standard deduction, no children and no credits. Moving also changes your housing, sales and property tax, which are not counted here.
Where a rule is simplified it is noted on the Explore page for that state (for example New York and Connecticut high-income recapture).
This is a planning picture, not tax advice. Changing your state of residence for tax purposes requires truly moving your home and your life, and states audit this.