Interactive tool · Free · Updated for 2026

State Income Tax Calculator

Estimate state income tax for any of the 50 US states — and see what changes if you move.

Free state-tax calculator. Covers no-tax, flat-rate, and progressively bracketed states with 2026 figures, plus side-by-side comparison between any two states.

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4.9 / 5 · 4,402 ratingsUsed by 92,000+ U.S. taxpayersCovers all 50 states
Live calculation
runs locally
California tax
$4.9K
brackets
Effective rate
5.14%
tax / gross income
Marginal rate
9.30%
next dollar earned
Take-home (state only)
$90.1K
before federal + FICA
Headline
California tax
$4.9K
5.14% effective
Headline
Texas tax
$0
0.00% effective
Annual difference
+$4.9K
California costs more
Per-month savings
$407
moving the lower way
Bracket breakdown
California tax by bracket
Where your dollar goes
Take-home vs. state tax
After California tax
$90,121
Tax $4.9K · Net $90.1K
Side-by-side

California vs. Texas on the same income.

Metric
California
Texas
Gross income
$95.0K
$95.0K
State taxable income
$89.6K
$95.0K
State tax
$4.9K
$0
Effective rate
5.14%
0.00%
Marginal rate
9.30%
0.00%
Take-home (state only)
$90.1K
$95.0K
Shareable

Share the state-tax math.

Send a coworker, a spouse, or anyone who keeps asking whether the move is worth it.

lazysmirkstate-tax-calculator
California · single
$4.9K state tax
5.14% effective on $95.0K.
State
California
Income
$95.0K
Filing
Single
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Quick Answers

State Tax Calculator, in 30 seconds.

Direct answers to the most common questions, in plain language. Skim if you're in a hurry; dig deeper below.

How much is state income tax?

Answer

Anywhere from 0% to over 13%, depending on the state.

Nine states (TX, FL, WA, etc.) have no income tax. Eleven states use a flat rate (typically 3–5%). The remaining states use progressive brackets with top rates that range from ~5% up to 13.3% (California) — a huge spread.

Which states have no income tax?

Answer

Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming.

These nine states have no broad-based personal income tax. Most make up for it with higher property tax, sales tax, or natural-resource revenue. New Hampshire taxes only interest and dividends — wages are exempt.

Do I pay state tax where I live or where I work?

Answer

Usually where you live, but reciprocity agreements vary.

Most states require residents to pay tax on all income, regardless of where it was earned, with a credit for tax paid to other states. A handful of state pairs (e.g., NJ/PA, IL/IA) have reciprocity agreements that let cross-border commuters file only in their home state.

Is state tax deductible on my federal return?

Answer

Yes, but capped at $10,000 (combined with property tax).

The SALT deduction lets you deduct state income (or sales) and property taxes on Schedule A — but the total is capped at $10,000 per return. High-tax-state filers often hit the cap quickly.

How it works

How state tax calculator works.

The mechanics in short answers — no jargon, no upsell.

01

Pick your state.

Each state has its own personal income tax rules — or none at all. Your selection drives every downstream calculation.

02

Apply state deduction.

Most states have their own standard deduction or personal exemption, separate from the federal one. The calculator subtracts it before bracket math.

03

Run the brackets (or flat rate).

Progressive states tax each chunk of income at its own marginal rate. Flat-rate states multiply taxable income by a single number.

04

Show effective vs. marginal rate.

Effective rate = tax ÷ gross income (what you actually pay). Marginal rate = the bracket your last dollar landed in (what an extra dollar costs).

How to use

Four steps. About 20 seconds.

Designed so anyone can model their situation in under a minute, with or without a finance background.

  1. Step 1
    Choose your state
    Pick from the dropdown — all 50 states are included.
  2. Step 2
    Enter your annual income
    Your gross W-2 wages or business income before federal/state withholding.
  3. Step 3
    Select filing status
    Single or married filing jointly. State brackets differ for each.
  4. Step 4
    See your state tax + take-home
    Total state tax, effective rate, marginal rate, and net of state tax.
Benefits

Why this matters.

All 50 states, one calculator

No-tax, flat-rate, and bracketed states all modeled with 2026 figures.

Compare states side-by-side

Moving for a job? See exactly how your take-home changes between two states.

Single + married filing jointly

Each state's brackets and deductions adjust for your filing status.

Effective + marginal rates

See both the rate you actually pay and the rate on your next dollar earned.

Bracket-by-bracket breakdown

For progressive states, see how much income fills each bracket and the tax owed at each.

2026 numbers

Brackets, deductions, and flat-rate updates use the most recent published figures.

FAQ

State Tax Calculator, answered.

Everything you might ask before, during, or after using this tool.

Written for borrowers, not bankersPlain-language, jargon-freeReviewed quarterly
Why do some states have no income tax?

Each state funds itself differently. No-income-tax states typically rely more on property taxes (TX, NH), sales taxes (TN, WA), severance/oil-and-gas revenues (AK, WY), or tourism (NV, FL). The total tax burden may still be high — just collected differently.

What's the difference between flat and progressive state tax?

Flat-rate states (CO, PA, IL, etc.) tax every dollar of taxable income at the same rate. Progressive states (CA, NY, OR, etc.) tax income in marginal brackets — the first $X at one rate, the next $Y at a higher rate, and so on.

Which state has the highest income tax?

California, with a top marginal rate of 13.3% on income above $1M (single). Hawaii (11%), New York (10.9%), New Jersey (10.75%), and Oregon (9.9%) round out the top five. Most filers pay well below the top rate because of progressive brackets.

Do I pay state tax on retirement income?

It depends. Some states (IL, MS, PA) exempt most or all retirement income. Others (CA, NY) tax 401(k) and IRA distributions like wages but exempt Social Security. Pension treatment varies. Check your state's specific retirement-income rules.

Are state taxes withheld from my paycheck?

In states with income tax, yes — usually via a state W-4 equivalent. The withholding tries to approximate your annual tax liability so you don't owe at filing. You can adjust it the same way you adjust federal W-4.

What about local or city income taxes?

A handful of cities (NYC, Philadelphia, San Francisco) and counties levy additional local income taxes. The calculator covers state-level tax only — local taxes are added on top in those jurisdictions.

Can I deduct federal taxes from my state taxes?

In most states, no — but a few (AL, IA, LA, MO, MT, OR) allow you to deduct some federal taxes on your state return. The calculator does not currently model the federal-tax deduction.

How accurate is this for my actual return?

The calculator handles standard deductions and brackets for each state. It does not currently model state-specific credits (child credit, EITC, education), itemized deductions, or local taxes. Treat the number as a solid estimate, not a filed return.

Why state tax matters as much as federal.

For a typical middle-income household, the state portion can be 25–40% of their total income-tax bill — and unlike federal tax, you can change it by moving. That makes state tax one of the few six-figure decisions a person can make purely on geography.

But "no income tax" is rarely free. Texas and Florida have very high property tax. Tennessee has 9.5%+ combined sales tax. Washington has a hefty B&O tax for self-employed. Compare total tax burden, not just the marginal income rate.

Thinking about moving for tax reasons?

Run the calculator twice — once for your current state, once for the prospective one — at your actual income and filing status. The difference is the recurring annual savings (or cost) of the move.

Then layer on: state-specific property tax rates, sales tax, vehicle registration, retirement-income treatment, and quality-of-life factors (commute, schools, healthcare). The headline rate is just the starting point.

How states define residency.

Most states use a "domicile + days present" test. If you spend 183+ days in a state and have a permanent home there, you're a resident — and pay tax on all worldwide income. Cross-border earners who don't cleanly cut ties can end up owing two states.

High-tax states (NY, CA) are aggressive about challenging out-of-state moves. If you're moving primarily for tax savings, expect to document the move — driver's license, voter registration, primary care doctor, principal residence — before the audit shows up.

Remote work and the new state-tax tangle.

If you live in State A but work for a company headquartered in State B, you may owe tax to one or both. Some states (NY, CT) use a "convenience of the employer" rule that taxes remote employees as though they worked in-state.

The cleanest setup is to live and work in the same state — or in a no-income-tax state with a reciprocity agreement with your employer's state. Anything else needs a careful look at both states' nonresident rules.

Common state-tax mistakes

  • Comparing only the top marginal rate instead of effective rate for your income.
  • Ignoring local/city income tax on top of state (NYC, Philadelphia, etc.).
  • Forgetting that some no-income-tax states have very high property or sales tax.
  • Filing only in your work state when residency rules require home-state filing too.
  • Missing the SALT $10,000 cap on the federal side when itemizing.
  • Assuming retirement income is taxed the same in every state — it isn't.
Trust & transparency

How this tool behaves, and what it isn't.

Two short notes worth reading before you trust any number on this page.

Privacy

Calculations run locally in your browser.

Your loan amount, rate, and prepayment inputs never leave your device. No accounts, no cookies on your numbers, no analytics on the values you type. Disconnect from the internet and it still works.

  • No account required
  • No data stored or sent
  • Works offline
  • No third-party trackers
Disclaimer

Lazysmirk is a tools platform, not a financial institution.

We are not a bank, NBFC, advisor, broker, or distributor of any financial product. The numbers shown here are estimates for educational purposes only, based on the inputs you provide.

Results are not financial, legal, or tax advice. Please consult a qualified professional before any decision about your loan, investments, or personal finances. Actual loan terms and charges depend on your bank and individual circumstances.