Take-Home Pay Calculator by State (2026)
Use this take-home pay calculator by state to compare a full year in one state with a part-year move. Review the modeled taxes, deductions and limits behind your estimate.
Tax year 2026Data verifiedEstimate what remains from your 2026 W-2 wages after the taxes and pre-tax deductions modeled here. This take-home pay calculator by state helps single filers and married couples filing jointly compare staying in one state with moving during the year. Enter your annual wages (plus your spouse’s if you file jointly), filing status, children and eligible pre-tax amounts, then choose your state or moving route. In moving mode, add your move date and use the uneven-pay option if you did not earn wages evenly through the year. The results show estimated take-home pay, a tax breakdown and a full-year state comparison. Read the calculation notes before using a result: the model simplifies some state rules and excludes several taxes and income types. Consider those limits when you plan your move. Keep your move records together with the state tax residency checklist. For a wider comparison of income, property and sales tax assumptions, including a five-year view and saved scenarios, use the separate State Tax Impact Calculator.
These are planning estimates only, not tax, legal or financial advice.
1. Build your pay and moving scenario
Head of household and separate filers are not modeled yet.
Your gross annual wages before any deductions.
Social Security tax is applied to each earner’s wages separately.
Reduces income tax but not Social Security/Medicare.
Reduces income tax and payroll taxes.
Used for the federal child tax credit and state dependent amounts.
Where you live and when you move
Local income taxes (optional)
2. Review your estimated take-home pay
Where your paycheck goes
3. Compare a full year in each state
Same wages and filing status, full year as a resident of each state. State income tax and state payroll taxes only (no local taxes). Higher is better.
How this estimate works and where it has limits
How a part-year move is estimated
- Federal income tax and Social Security/Medicare are calculated on your full-year wages — moving does not change them.
- Each state’s tax is calculated as if you lived there all year on your full income, then multiplied by the share of your wages earned while you lived there.
- This is the method many states use for part-year residents, but not all. Some states tax only income earned during residency using their own forms and rules. Check your state’s part-year/nonresident return before filing.
- Wages are assumed to be earned in the state where you lived when you earned them. Income earned in a different state than where you live (commuters, remote work, reciprocity agreements) is not modeled.
Taxes and deductions this model includes
- 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction, child tax credit, Social Security (wage base $184,500), Medicare and Additional Medicare tax.
- 2026 state brackets for single and joint filers, standard deductions, personal and dependent exemptions or credits, and common phase-outs.
- State payroll taxes with published rates: California SDI, Massachusetts PFML, Washington WA Cares.
- Local income tax at a rate you enter (plus New York City brackets).
What this model excludes
- Itemized deductions, other credits, capital gains and investment income, self-employment tax, and alternative minimum tax.
- Other state payroll/disability taxes (for example NY, NJ, CT, RI, OR, CO) and employer-paid items.
- Head of household and married-filing-separately status.
- Sales, property and other non-income taxes.
Data sources and state limitations
Sources, tax year and data freshness
State tax laws change often. Several states cut 2026 rates after the Tax Foundation’s February table; those updates are included. Re-verify before relying on a number for a filing decision.
States with simplified calculations
Source documents cited by this model: IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and the SSA contribution and benefit base. See the source list above for the state references.
Take-home pay calculator by state: FAQs
Who is this take-home pay calculator by state for?
This calculator models tax year 2026 for single filers and married couples filing jointly. The state selector includes all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and the notes identify simplified calculations. It does not model head of household or married filing separately.
What does the take-home pay estimate include?
The estimate includes modeled federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, state income tax and selected state payroll taxes. It also uses the pre-tax amounts and child information you enter, with an optional local income-tax rate or New York City calculation. Read the included-items list and state notes for the limits.
How does the part-year moving estimate work?
The model calculates each state’s tax using your full-year income, then applies the share of wages allocated to your time in that state. The move date sets the default allocation, and the uneven-pay option lets you enter wages earned while living in the old state. Federal income tax and Social Security/Medicare use full-year wages in this model.
What if I received a bonus or changed jobs during the year?
In moving mode, select “My pay wasn’t even through the year” and enter the wages earned while living in the old state. The model then uses that wage share instead of the default time-based allocation. It assumes you earned wages in the state where you lived; it does not model cross-state commuting, remote-work sourcing or reciprocity agreements.
What does the calculation leave out?
The model excludes itemized deductions, other credits, investment income, self-employment tax, alternative minimum tax and several state payroll or disability taxes. It also excludes employer-paid items, sales tax, property tax and other non-income taxes. Review “What this model excludes” for the page’s full list.
Which states have simplified calculations?
The page flags Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New York, Oregon and South Carolina for simplified calculations. California’s separate note says its bracket widths use 2025 values. Read the displayed state notes and source information before relying on an estimate.
How should I read the state ranking?
The ranking assumes a full year as a resident of each state, using the same wages and filing status. It compares modeled take-home pay and state taxes without local taxes. It is separate from the part-year moving estimate.
Can I use this calculator to prepare my tax return?
No; the results are planning estimates, not tax, legal or financial advice, and may differ from your actual returns. States have their own part-year and nonresident forms and allocation rules. Check the relevant instructions and ask a tax professional about investment, business or multistate income.
Planning that route? Read the New Jersey to Texas moving guide alongside your estimate.
Related tools and guides
Build a fuller moving plan around your estimate.
Estimates for planning only. This is not tax, legal or financial advice, and results will differ from your actual returns. Ask a tax professional, especially if you have investment, business or multi-state income. Engine v.