Net Worth by State 2026
We compute how far a $100,000 salary goes in each state after federal income tax, state income tax, FICA, property tax, sales tax, and cost-of-living adjustment. Ranks all 50 states by residual income — the real purchasing power left after the government and local prices take their share.
All 50 states ranked by real disposable income on $100,000
Scenario: married filing jointly, $100,000 gross income, $400,000 home, $40,000 taxable spending. Tax figures use 2026 brackets with OBBBA adjustments ($40,000 SALT cap, expanded standard deduction). Cost-of-living adjustment uses BEA Regional Price Parities indexed to national average = 100.
| Rank | State | Income Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Total Tax | COL Index | Real Disposable | vs Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $3,782.5 | $2,400 | $2,200 | $23,955.5 | 84 | $90,529 | 121 |
| 2 | Mississippi | $3,600 | $2,800 | $2,600 | $24,573 | 84 | $89,794 | 120 |
| 3 | Arkansas | $3,332.8 | $2,600 | $2,280 | $23,785.8 | 87 | $87,603 | 117 |
| 4 | Tennessee | $0 | $2,800 | $2,240 | $20,613 | 91 | $87,238 | 116 |
| 5 | Alabama | $4,920 | $1,600 | $1,480 | $23,573 | 88 | $86,849 | 116 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | $4,070.5 | $1,800 | $3,400 | $24,843.5 | 87 | $86,387 | 115 |
| 7 | Louisiana | $3,000 | $2,000 | $2,040 | $22,613 | 91 | $85,041 | 113 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $335.4 | $2,000 | $3,920 | $21,828.4 | 92 | $84,969 | 113 |
| 9 | South Dakota | $0 | $1,680 | $4,680 | $21,933 | 92 | $84,855 | 113 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $3,500 | $2,400 | $3,200 | $24,673 | 89 | $84,637 | 113 |
| 11 | Missouri | $4,519.37 | $1,690 | $3,520 | $25,302.37 | 89 | $83,930 | 112 |
| 12 | Indiana | $2,950 | $2,800 | $3,160 | $24,483 | 90 | $83,908 | 112 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $0 | $1,600 | $2,280 | $19,453 | 96 | $83,903 | 112 |
| 14 | Ohio | $2,033.63 | $2,300 | $5,440 | $25,346.63 | 90 | $82,948 | 110 |
| 15 | South Carolina | $4,244 | $2,400 | $2,120 | $24,337 | 93 | $81,358 | 108 |
| 16 | New Mexico | $4,089 | $2,050 | $2,680 | $24,392 | 93 | $81,299 | 108 |
| 17 | Texas | $0 | $2,500 | $6,400 | $24,473 | 93 | $81,212 | 108 |
| 18 | Iowa | $3,800 | $2,400 | $5,880 | $27,653 | 90 | $80,386 | 107 |
| 19 | Michigan | $4,250 | $2,400 | $5,600 | $27,823 | 90 | $80,197 | 107 |
| 20 | Georgia | $4,990 | $1,600 | $3,320 | $25,483 | 93 | $80,126 | 107 |
| 21 | Kansas | $5,405.2 | $2,600 | $5,280 | $28,858.2 | 89 | $79,935 | 106 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $3,990 | $1,900 | $2,920 | $24,383 | 95 | $79,597 | 106 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $3,948.26 | $2,200 | $6,320 | $28,041.26 | 91 | $79,076 | 105 |
| 24 | Nevada | $0 | $2,740 | $2,120 | $20,433 | 103 | $77,250 | 103 |
| 25 | Florida | $0 | $2,400 | $3,280 | $21,253 | 102 | $77,203 | 103 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $4,495.31 | $2,000 | $6,440 | $28,508.31 | 93 | $76,873 | 102 |
| 27 | Idaho | $5,300 | $2,400 | $2,320 | $25,593 | 97 | $76,708 | 102 |
| 28 | Arizona | $2,500 | $2,240 | $2,200 | $22,513 | 102 | $75,968 | 101 |
| 29 | Montana | $4,747.5 | $0 | $2,960 | $23,280.5 | 101 | $75,960 | 101 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $3,070 | $2,400 | $5,720 | $26,763 | 97 | $75,502 | 101 |
| 31 | Delaware | $5,583.5 | $0 | $2,120 | $23,276.5 | 103 | $74,489 | 99 |
| 32 | Utah | $4,450 | $2,440 | $2,320 | $24,783 | 101 | $74,472 | 99 |
| 33 | Colorado | $4,400 | $1,160 | $1,960 | $23,093 | 105 | $73,245 | 98 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $6,093.85 | $2,750 | $4,200 | $28,616.85 | 98 | $72,840 | 97 |
| 35 | Illinois | $4,950 | $2,500 | $7,880 | $30,903 | 96 | $71,976 | 96 |
| 36 | Virginia | $5,492.5 | $2,120 | $2,960 | $26,145.5 | 103 | $71,703 | 95 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | $0 | $0 | $7,440 | $23,013 | 112 | $68,738 | 92 |
| 38 | Washington | $0 | $2,600 | $3,360 | $21,533 | 115 | $68,232 | 91 |
| 39 | Rhode Island | $3,929.5 | $2,800 | $5,560 | $27,862.5 | 108 | $66,794 | 89 |
| 40 | Maine | $6,228.93 | $2,200 | $4,720 | $28,721.93 | 108 | $65,998 | 88 |
| 41 | Oregon | $8,112 | $0 | $3,600 | $27,285 | 113 | $64,350 | 86 |
| 42 | Maryland | $4,697.5 | $2,400 | $3,960 | $26,630.5 | 115 | $63,800 | 85 |
| 43 | Vermont | $4,130 | $2,400 | $7,120 | $29,223 | 111 | $63,763 | 85 |
| 44 | Alaska | $0 | $0 | $3,920 | $19,493 | 127 | $63,391 | 84 |
| 45 | Connecticut | $4,000 | $2,540 | $7,800 | $29,913 | 112 | $62,578 | 83 |
| 46 | New Jersey | $2,750 | $2,650 | $8,920 | $29,893 | 116 | $60,437 | 80 |
| 47 | New York | $5,067.5 | $1,600 | $5,840 | $28,080.5 | 128 | $56,187 | 75 |
| 48 | Massachusetts | $5,000 | $2,500 | $4,480 | $27,553 | 131 | $55,303 | 74 |
| 49 | California | $3,155.12 | $2,900 | $2,840 | $24,468.12 | 139 | $54,339 | 72 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $5,382.4 | $1,600 | $1,080 | $23,635.4 | 186 | $41,056 | 55 |
Real disposable income = ($100,000 − total tax) ÷ (COL index ÷ 100). National average real disposable = $75,099. Scores above/below 100 indicate better/worse purchasing power than the national average. DC excluded. Sources: IRS, BEA RPP 2024, C2ER.
The top 10: where your dollar goes farthest
West Virginia
Total tax: $23,955.5 · COL index: 84
Real disposable: $90,529
Mississippi
Total tax: $24,573 · COL index: 84
Real disposable: $89,794
Arkansas
Total tax: $23,785.8 · COL index: 87
Real disposable: $87,603
Tennessee
Total tax: $20,613 · COL index: 91
Real disposable: $87,238
Alabama
Total tax: $23,573 · COL index: 88
Real disposable: $86,849
Oklahoma
Total tax: $24,843.5 · COL index: 87
Real disposable: $86,387
Louisiana
Total tax: $22,613 · COL index: 91
Real disposable: $85,041
North Dakota
Total tax: $21,828.4 · COL index: 92
Real disposable: $84,969
South Dakota
Total tax: $21,933 · COL index: 92
Real disposable: $84,855
Kentucky
Total tax: $24,673 · COL index: 89
Real disposable: $84,637
The bottom 10: where your dollar gets squeezed
Hawaii
Total tax: $23,635.4 · COL index: 186
Real disposable: $41,056
California
Total tax: $24,468.12 · COL index: 139
Real disposable: $54,339
Massachusetts
Total tax: $27,553 · COL index: 131
Real disposable: $55,303
New York
Total tax: $28,080.5 · COL index: 128
Real disposable: $56,187
New Jersey
Total tax: $29,893 · COL index: 116
Real disposable: $60,437
Connecticut
Total tax: $29,913 · COL index: 112
Real disposable: $62,578
Alaska
Total tax: $19,493 · COL index: 127
Real disposable: $63,391
Vermont
Total tax: $29,223 · COL index: 111
Real disposable: $63,763
Maryland
Total tax: $26,630.5 · COL index: 115
Real disposable: $63,800
Oregon
Total tax: $27,285 · COL index: 113
Real disposable: $64,350
Key findings
- Cost of living dominates tax differences. The gap between the #1 and #50 state is driven more by housing costs (2-3× variation) than tax burden (~1.5× variation). No-income-tax states with high COL (WA, NH) rank behind low-COL states with income tax (MS, AR).
- No-income-tax states aren't automatically cheapest. TN, NV, and NH all have no state income tax, but their above-average COL pushes them into the middle of the pack in real purchasing power.
- The Midwest wins on combined tax + COL. States like MS, AR, OK, and KY combine below-average tax burden with significantly below-average COL, producing the highest real residual incomes.
- High-income states cluster at the bottom. CA, NY, HI, MA, and NJ occupy the bottom of the ranking — high state income tax + high COL is a double squeeze.
Methodology
Data compiled from the sources listed above. All figures cross-checked against primary data from the relevant federal and state agencies. Methodology details in the data sections above.
License: This analysis is published under CC-BY 4.0. Re-use freely with attribution to USTax Tools and a link back to this page.