States With No Income Tax (2026): The Full List & What It Means

When you're comparing job offers across state lines — or weighing a move for a higher salary — state income tax is one of the first numbers people look at. And for good reason: in a state with no income tax, none of your wages are withheld for state tax, so a larger share of your gross salary makes it into your bank account each payday.

In 2026, nine US states levy no tax on wage or salary income. This guide lists all of them, explains the nuances that make the headline "no income tax" slightly more complicated for a couple of states, and shows exactly what the difference means for a real paycheck.

Which States Have No Income Tax?

These are the 9 states with no income tax on wages in 2026. The key word is wages — this list covers tax on the salary you earn from working. A few of these states have separate taxes on investment income, which we cover in the next section.

That's the no income tax states list for 2026: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. If your salary is earned in any of these states, no state income tax is withheld from your paycheck.

The Nuances: New Hampshire, Washington & Tennessee

The headline "no income tax" is accurate for wages in all nine states, but three of them deserve a closer look so you understand what is and isn't taxed.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire historically taxed interest and dividend income — but never wages. That interest-and-dividends tax has been repealed and phased out, so wage earners in New Hampshire pay no state income tax at all. The state does, however, have relatively high property taxes, which we'll come back to.

Washington

Washington has no tax on wage or salary income. However, it does levy a 7% capital gains tax on long-term investment gains above a threshold for high earners. Crucially, this applies to investment income only — your salary and wages are not taxed. For most employees, Washington functions as a no-income-tax state.

Tennessee

Tennessee once taxed interest and dividends through what was known as the "Hall tax." That tax was fully repealed as of 2021, so Tennessee now has no state income tax of any kind — neither on wages nor on investment income.

States With No Income Tax and No Sales Tax

Some readers want to know about states with no income tax and no sales tax — the rare places that levy neither. Combining the two lists, only two states qualify:

• Alaska — no state income tax and no statewide sales tax (localities may levy their own)
• New Hampshire — no state income tax and no statewide sales tax

It's worth noting the other side of this: there are US states with no statewide sales tax that do levy income tax. Delaware, Montana, and Oregon have no statewide sales tax but all three tax wage income. So "no sales tax" and "no income tax" only overlap in Alaska and New Hampshire.

No Income Tax Doesn't Mean No Taxes

This is the most important caveat in the whole guide, and it's one a lot of "no income tax" articles gloss over. A state with no income tax is not a state with no taxes — it still has to fund schools, roads, and public services. Revenue simply comes from somewhere else.

In practice, the no-income-tax states tend to compensate through other levies:

• Higher property taxes — Texas and New Hampshire, in particular, have relatively high property tax burdens
• Higher sales taxes — Tennessee and Washington rely on sales tax, including high combined state-plus-local rates
• Other revenue — Alaska draws heavily from oil and gas production; Nevada leans on gaming and tourism taxes

So when you're evaluating a move, the honest approach is to look at the total tax burden — income, property, and sales tax combined — rather than fixating on income tax alone. A state with no income tax but high property and sales taxes can still take a meaningful bite out of a household budget, especially for homeowners.

What No State Income Tax Means for Your Paycheck

To make this concrete, here's a worked comparison on a $100,000 salary for a single filer in 2026 — identical in every way except the state.

The roughly $5,070 gap between the two is entirely state income tax. Federal income tax and FICA are identical in both states — it's the state layer that accounts for the difference. In Texas, that $5,070 stays in your paycheck instead of going to the state.

Our US calculator shows $0 state tax the moment you select any of the nine no-income-tax states, so you can see exactly how your take-home changes as you compare states.

Should You Move to a No-Income-Tax State?

It's tempting to treat "no income tax" as a clear win, but the honest answer is: it depends on your full financial picture, not just the income-tax line. A few things to weigh:

• Income level — the higher your salary, the more you save from skipping state income tax, since the saving scales with income
• Property taxes — if you're buying a home, a high property tax state can eat into the income-tax saving
• Sales tax & cost of living — high sales tax and a high cost of living can offset the headline gain
• Total tax burden — compare the combined impact, not the income-tax rate in isolation

For a high-earning renter, a no-income-tax state can be a genuine boost. For a moderate-income homeowner in a high-property-tax state like Texas or New Hampshire, the math is closer than it first appears. Run your own numbers through the calculator and compare a couple of states before deciding.

Related tools and guides

• US Take-Home Pay Calculator — select any state and see the difference in your take-home pay
• What Is FICA Tax? — the 7.65% payroll tax that applies regardless of state
• 2026 Federal Income Tax Brackets Explained — the federal brackets that apply in every state
• How to Calculate Your US Take-Home Pay — the full workflow from gross salary to net pay

This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute tax advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult a qualified tax professional, the IRS at irs.gov, or your state's department of revenue.