Nine states tax no wages in 2026: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. A single person earning $75,000 in Houston keeps $61,593 after all 2026 taxes. In Los Angeles the same salary leaves $57,952, and in New York City $55,312. That is $3,641–$6,281 a year more in your pocket. Rent moves the real gap far more, though: after modeled living costs, that Houston earner has $27,130 a year left over against $1,403 in New York. See your own number in the take-home pay calculator, then add costs with the cost-of-living calculator.
The federal floor everyone pays
Federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare are the same wherever you live. For a single filer with $75,000 of wages and the 2026 standard deduction of $16,100:
- Federal income tax: $7,670 (taxable income $58,900)
- Social Security (6.2%): $4,650 (wage base $184,500)
- Medicare (1.45%): $1,088
- Federal total: $13,408
The state layer is what differs.
Take-home pay at $75,000, single filer
Computed by MoveMath’s 2026 tax engine from each state’s return rate schedule, not withholding tables. It includes mandatory state payroll taxes and the principal city’s mandatory local tax.
| City | State tax | Local tax | State payroll tax | Total tax | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston, TX | $0 | $0 | $0 | $13,408 | $61,593 |
| Miami, FL | $0 | $0 | $0 | $13,408 | $61,593 |
| Nashville, TN | $0 | $0 | $0 | $13,408 | $61,593 |
| Seattle, WA | $0 | $0 | $1,040 | $14,448 | $60,552 |
| Denver, CO | $2,592 | $69 | $330 | $16,398 | $58,602 |
| Chicago, IL | $3,568 | $0 | $0 | $16,975 | $58,025 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $2,665 | $0 | $975 | $17,048 | $57,952 |
| New York City, NY | $3,453 | $2,472 | $355 | $19,688 | $55,312 |
Washington has no wage income tax, but employees pay $605 for Paid Family and Medical Leave (71.43% of the 1.13% premium, per Washington ESD) and $435 for WA Cares (0.58%, no wage cap). That is $1,040 in total. Denver’s $69 is the city’s $5.75-a-month Occupational Privilege Tax.
At $100,000 the gap widens
| City | Total tax | Take-home | vs. Houston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston, TX | $20,820 | $79,180 | — |
| Miami, FL | $20,820 | $79,180 | $0 |
| Nashville, TN | $20,820 | $79,180 | $0 |
| Seattle, WA | $22,207 | $77,793 | −$1,387 |
| Denver, CO | $25,021 | $74,979 | −$4,201 |
| Chicago, IL | $25,625 | $74,375 | −$4,805 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $27,031 | $72,969 | −$6,211 |
| New York City, NY | $29,564 | $70,436 | −$8,744 |
At $100,000, New York State tax ($4,860), New York City tax ($3,441) and NY disability and family-leave premiums ($443) take $8,744 more than Texas.
What no-income-tax states charge instead
Property tax. Texas metros have effective rates of 1.54%–1.61% (ACS 2020–2024): Houston 1.61%, Dallas 1.60%, Austin 1.54%. A $400,000 home in the Austin metro pays about $6,142 a year at that rate. That is more than the $4,860 of New York State income tax on a $100,000 salary. See effective property tax rate by county.
Sales tax. Tennessee’s 7% state rate is the highest of the nine, and it also taxes most groceries at 4%. Nevada’s state rate is 6.85%, Washington 6.5%, Texas 6.25%, Florida 6%, South Dakota 4.2% (groceries too) and Wyoming 4%. Alaska and New Hampshire have none. Local add-ons come on top. In MoveMath’s budget, the single $75,000 earner pays an estimated $608 a year in Tennessee state sales tax and $377 in Texas.
The full after-cost comparison is what matters
Moving from New York City to Houston at $75,000 cuts state and city income tax by $5,925 and payroll premiums by $355, a total of $6,280. Rent falls much more. HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom is $1,261 a month in Houston and $2,729 in New York, a gap of $1,468 a month or $17,616 a year.
MoveMath’s salary solver puts it together. To end the year with the same money left over as on $75,000 in New York City, a single renter would need:
| Destination | Salary that matches NYC at $75,000 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Houston, TX | $41,924 | −$33,076 |
| Nashville, TN | $47,510 | −$27,490 |
| Miami, FL | $56,239 | −$18,761 |
| Seattle, WA | $58,935 | −$16,065 |
Miami and Seattle need far more than Houston despite the same zero income tax, because their Fair Market Rents are $2,121 and $2,180 a month. Run your household in the cost-of-living calculator, and see moving from a high-tax state to a no-tax state for a family example.
Related: Texas, Florida, New York, Houston cost of living, New York cost of living.