Updated · 2026 tax year · Data: IRS, SSA, Tax Foundation · How we calculate

Compare Take-Home Pay Between States

Pick your salary and two states to see how much of your paycheck you would keep in each after federal, state, and local taxes plus state payroll programs, for the 2026 tax year.

You keep $6,355 more per year in Texas than in California, or $530 a month.
CaliforniaTexasDifference
Federal income tax$13,170$13,170$0
Social Security + Medicare$7,650$7,650$0
State income tax$5,055$0-$5,055
State payroll & local tax$1,300$0-$1,300
Take-home pay / year$72,825$79,180$6,355
Take-home / month$6,069$6,598$530
Total tax rate27.2%20.8%-6.4%

To match your California take-home pay, you would need about $91,000 in Texas.

Popular state comparisons

Yearly take-home difference on a $100,000 salary, single filer.

Frequently asked questions

How much more will I take home if I move to a state with no income tax?

It depends on your salary and the state you leave. On a $100,000 salary, a single filer moving from California to Texas keeps about $6,355 more per year; moving from New York to Florida saves about $5,303.

Does this include cost of living?

No. The comparison covers taxes and mandatory payroll deductions only. Housing, insurance, sales tax, and property tax can outweigh income-tax savings, so compare those separately before moving.

Which state’s taxes apply if I move mid-year?

You usually file part-year resident returns in both states, paying each state tax on the income earned while you lived there. Your employer should switch your state withholding on the date you move.

What if I live in one state and work in another?

Generally your work state taxes wages earned there and your home state gives a credit for that tax, so you pay roughly the higher of the two rates. Some neighbors (for example Pennsylvania and New Jersey, or Virginia, Maryland and D.C.) have reciprocity agreements so you only pay your home state.

More reading: states with no income tax and living in one state while working in another.