Why state tax varies so much from one state to the next
There is no single "state tax" in the US — each state sets its own rules, which is why the same salary can be taxed very differently across state lines.
Nine states levy no broad individual income tax at all: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming and New Hampshire.
Of the rest, some use a single flat rate on every dollar of taxable income, while others use progressive brackets that rise as income grows.
Sales tax stacks a statewide rate with county and city rates, so the combined figure you actually pay ranges from zero in a handful of states to well over 9% in others.
Property tax is set locally and expressed as an average effective rate — real tax paid divided by market value — which can differ by a factor of five between low-tax and high-tax states.
The per-state State Income Tax Calculator, Sales Tax Calculator and Property Tax Calculator reflect these differences directly.
Effective rate versus marginal rate — and how to read your result
Two numbers describe your income tax, and confusing them is the most common mistake. Your marginal rate is the rate applied to your next dollar earned — the top bracket your income reaches.
Your effective rate is your total state tax divided by your total income, which is always lower in a progressive state because only the income inside each bracket is taxed at that bracket's rate, not your whole income.
In a flat-tax state the two are nearly identical before deductions.
The State Income Tax Calculator shows both so you can plan accurately: use the marginal rate to judge what a raise or a bonus will cost you, and the effective rate to understand your overall burden.
For a fuller picture, the Paycheck Calculator layers federal tax and FICA on top of state tax, the Capital Gains Tax Calculator stacks investment gains onto your other income, and the Tax Burden Calculator combines income, sales and property tax into one total.
How to use the per-state calculators — and what they leave out
Pick your state, then choose the tool that matches your question: the State Income Tax Calculator for tax on earnings, the Sales Tax Calculator to add combined state-and-local tax to a purchase, and the Property Tax Calculator to estimate an annual bill from your home's value.
Each one uses that state's real rates for the current tax year — flat rate or brackets for income, statewide plus average local rate for sales, and the average effective rate for property. These are planning estimates, not tax advice.
To keep them clear and comparable, they use single-filer state income tax rates and exclude most credits, itemized and personal deductions, local income or city taxes, homestead and senior property exemptions, and category-specific sales-tax rules such as grocery or prescription exemptions.
Federal income tax and payroll taxes are separate and apply on top. Always confirm your exact figures — including your county rate and any exemptions you qualify for — with your state Department of Revenue.