A state-by-state register. Property tax, sales tax, residency rules, and the honest math on whether moving saves you money. No income tax is marketing, not arithmetic.
In Brief
§ I · The Register
Each state on file. Burden grade, property and sales rates, and a one-line characterisation. Click any card for the full breakdown.
FILING NO. 01
AK · 733K
Burden
AA
Property
1.04%
Sales
0% state
CoL
127
No income or sales tax. PFD pays residents up to $2K/yr.
Read the filing →
FILING NO. 02
FL · 22.6M
Burden
A+
Property
0.86%
Sales
7.02% avg
CoL
103
Most popular retirement destination. Moderate property tax.
Read the filing →
FILING NO. 03
NV · 3.2M
Burden
A
Property
0.53%
Sales
8.23% avg
CoL
104
Lowest property tax. Gaming taxes fund the state budget.
Read the filing →
FILING NO. 04
NH · 1.4M
Burden
BBB
Property
1.86%
Sales
0% state
CoL
113
No income tax on wages, no sales tax. Very high property tax.
Read the filing →
FILING NO. 05
SD · 0.9M
Burden
AA
Property
1.08%
Sales
6.10% avg
CoL
92
Low cost of living. Favorable trust laws. Very small population.
Read the filing →
FILING NO. 06
TN · 7.1M
Burden
BBB
Property
0.64%
Sales
9.55% avg
CoL
92
Highest combined sales tax in the nation. Low cost of living.
Read the filing →
FILING NO. 07
TX · 30.5M
Burden
A
Property
1.60%
Sales
8.19% avg
CoL
94
Constitutionally banned income tax. 6th highest property tax.
Read the filing →
FILING NO. 08
WA · 7.8M
Burden
BBB
Property
0.94%
Sales
9.20% avg
CoL
111
7% capital gains tax on gains above $250K. High sales tax.
Read the filing →
FILING NO. 09
WY · 0.6M
Burden
AAA
Property
0.56%
Sales
5.36% avg
CoL
96
Lowest total tax burden in the nation. Very low population.
Read the filing →
* NEW HAMPSHIRE TAXES INTEREST AND DIVIDENDS ABOVE $2,400 AT 3%, PHASING TO 0% BY 2027. NO TAX ON WAGES OR SALARY. CoL INDEX: 100 = NATIONAL AVERAGE. SOURCE: BEA REGIONAL PRICE PARITY 2024.
§ II · THE THESIS
The Texan homeowner on a $450,000 house pays approximately $7,200 in property tax per year. A Californian in the same house pays around $3,195. That $4,000 spread often exceeds the income tax California would have charged a median earner.
Tennessee posts the highest combined sales tax in the nation at 9.55%. New Hampshire posts the fourth-highest property tax at 1.86%. Washington introduced a 7% capital gains tax in 2022. The marketing line says no income tax. The arithmetic is more complicated.
→ Run the calculator below with your numbers, not someone else's.
§ III · Field Notes
Three case studies. Real numbers. No spin.
Texas ranks 6th in property tax nationally at 1.60%. On a $450K home: $7,200/yr in property tax alone. A California resident earning $120K pays roughly $10,200 in state income tax but only $3,195 in property tax. The net advantage of Texas only appears above around $180K household income.
Tennessee's combined sales tax averages 9.55%, the highest in the nation. A household spending $45,000 on taxable goods pays $4,298 in sales tax annually. Groceries are taxed at 4% state plus local additions. A family of four can spend $800 to $1,200 extra per year vs a state with no sales tax on food.
New Hampshire has no income tax on wages and no sales tax. But property taxes average 1.86%, fourth highest in the nation. On a $465,000 median-priced home: $8,649/yr. A retiree with $70K income and a $500K home pays more property tax in NH than they would owe in income tax in most states.
§ IV · Instrument
Enter your financial details to see your estimated total state and local tax burden in every state, ranked from lowest to highest. Income tax is only one column.
Inputs
$100,000/yr
$400,000
Auto: 35% = $35,000
Shows savings vs current
Output / Ranked Burden Estimate
| No. | State↕ | Income↕ | Total▲ | vs CA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | WyomingNO INC TAX | $0 | $4,116 | -$9,137 |
| 02 | AlaskaNO INC TAX | $0 | $4,797 | -$8,456 |
| 03 | NevadaNO INC TAX | $0 | $5,001 | -$8,252 |
| 04 | FloridaNO INC TAX | $0 | $5,897 | -$7,356 |
| 05 | TennesseeNO INC TAX | $0 | $5,903 | -$7,350 |
| 06 | Delaware | $3,630 | $5,910 | -$7,343 |
| 07 | Montana | $3,245 | $6,205 | -$7,048 |
| 08 | South DakotaNO INC TAX | $0 | $6,455 | -$6,798 |
| 09 | Arizona | $1,375 | $6,785 | -$6,468 |
| 10 | WashingtonNO INC TAX | $0 | $6,980 | -$6,273 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $1,073 | $7,269 | -$5,984 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $2,816 | $7,333 | -$5,920 |
| 13 | Utah | $2,503 | $7,339 | -$5,914 |
| 14 | Colorado | $2,420 | $7,347 | -$5,906 |
| 15 | New HampshireNO INC TAX | $0 | $7,440 | -$5,813 |
Simplified estimates using average effective rates. Actual liability varies. Not tax advice.
§ V · The Verdict by Persona
The benefit varies dramatically by income, lifestyle, and life stage. See the full ranking.
Strong benefit
Income tax savings of $10,000 to $30,000+ per year typically outweigh property or sales tax increases. The higher the income, the more compelling the move.
Significant benefit
Social Security is not state-taxed in any of the 9 states. Pension and 401(k) withdrawals are also exempt. Lower spending reduces the sales tax impact.
Strong benefit (with caveats)
Keep a high-city salary while living in a no-tax state. Caveat: if your employer is in NY, CT, DE, NE, or PA, the convenience-of-employer rule may still apply.
Mixed results
Income tax savings of $2,000 to $4,000 per year are real but modest. Higher property or sales taxes in the destination state can close or reverse the gap.
Depends on structure
Pass-through income benefits directly. C-corps face separate corporate rules. Washington has B&O tax; Texas has franchise tax. Wyoming and South Dakota are cleanest.
Minimal or negative
Little income tax liability to begin with. High sales taxes in states like Tennessee are regressive and can cost low-income households more than they save.
§ VI · Index
Dedicated pages for each state with property tax breakdowns, sales tax detail, retirement implications, residency rules, and an honest verdict.
§ VII · Head-to-Head
Side-by-side tax breakdowns for the most common state-vs-state decisions.
§ VIII · Queries
§ IX · Cross-References
incometaxbystate.com
Full income tax comparison for all 50 states
effectivetaxratecalculator.com
Calculate your true effective tax rate
aftertaxincomecalculator.com
Model your take-home pay after all taxes
podsmovingcost.com
Estimate the cost of your relocation
Sources: Tax Foundation State-Local Tax Burden Rankings 2024, BEA Regional Price Parity 2024, state revenue department websites. Last reviewed April 2026.