Best states for take-home pay in 2026
We ranked every verified CalculWise state salary model by estimated take-home pay for common salaries. The study compares federal tax, FICA, and modeled state income tax, then links every result back to the full salary page.
No-income-tax states dominate
Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming tie near the top on paycheck taxes because the model has no broad state wage income tax.
Spread grows with salary
At $100K, the modeled annual spread between the highest and lowest verified state result is $7,031 before benefits, local taxes, credits, and cost-of-living differences.
Scope is intentionally narrow
This is a paycheck-tax ranking, not a cost-of-living ranking. Rent, insurance, property tax, commute, and wages can change the best state for a real household.
Top 10 states at $100K salary
| Rank | State | Annual take-home | Monthly | Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $79,180 | $6,598 | No state wage income tax |
| 2 | Florida | $79,180 | $6,598 | No state wage income tax |
| 3 | Nevada | $79,180 | $6,598 | No state wage income tax |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $79,180 | $6,598 | No state wage income tax |
| 5 | South Dakota | $79,180 | $6,598 | No state wage income tax |
| 6 | Tennessee | $79,180 | $6,598 | No state wage income tax |
| 7 | Texas | $79,180 | $6,598 | No state wage income tax |
| 8 | Washington | $79,180 | $6,598 | No state wage income tax |
| 9 | Wyoming | $79,180 | $6,598 | No state wage income tax |
| 10 | Ohio | $76,814 | $6,401 | 2026 Ohio flat-threshold formula |
Lowest modeled $100K take-home results
Methodology
Rankings use single-filer 2026 federal tax assumptions, Social Security and Medicare payroll tax, and verified CalculWise state salary models. Local income taxes, credits, itemized deductions, employer benefits, 401(k), HSA, health insurance, bonuses, and cost-of-living differences are excluded.
The verified set includes states with no broad wage income tax, documented flat-tax models, and selected progressive-tax models with transparent assumptions. Unsupported state salary pages are kept noindex until the model is complete enough for search.
Citation
Suggested citation: CalculWise, “Best States for Take-Home Pay in 2026,” accessed 2026. Dataset generated from CalculWise salary after-tax pages and verified state models.
Example: at $100K, the highest modeled take-home result is $79,180; the lowest is $72,149; the annual spread is $7,031.