Taxation Nation: Which State Taxes Matter to You?

August 22, 2025 • Hayden Adams • Austin Jarvis
Your overall tax liability is heavily dependent on where you live. Here's your state-by-state guide to who charges what.

Income, estate, property, sales—you name it, there's a tax for it. Except, that is, for those states that forgo such taxes in a bid to lure individuals and businesses.

Whether you're a retiree, a remote worker, or just looking for a change of scenery, the idea of pulling up stakes for purportedly greener pastures isn't that unusual these days. However, the tax implications can be profound, so it's smart to take a hard look before you break out the packing tape.

When thinking about relocating, taxes are only one of many factors to weigh, including climate, lifestyle, proximity to family, and the availability and quality of health care. Taxes shouldn't be your first consideration, so if you wish to live by the beach or close to one of your kids, for example, figure out all the places you could live—then take a look at which taxes matter most based on your situation and stage of life.

High earners in their prime working years might gravitate toward those states that don't tax earned income—namely, Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. However, the picture is generally more complicated than that. For example, Florida's lack of an income tax may seem like a bargain, but property tax there is high, and the government raises the bulk of its revenue through state and local sales taxes. That's why it's important to consider your entire tax burden.

Here's how all 50 states and Washington, D.C., levy income, estate, property, and sales taxes—along with guides to capital gains and Social Security taxes and how to evaluate a state's trust laws.

Income tax

Whether a state has an income tax can be an important factor—especially for those in the highest tax brackets who rely primarily on ordinary income from wages and retirement accounts (as opposed to long-term investment income).

According to data from the Tax Foundation,1 the states with the highest individual income tax collections per person for fiscal year 2023—excluding local taxes—are:

  1. Oregon ($3,123)
  2. Massachusetts ($3,110)
  3. New York ($2,980)
  4. California ($2,461)
  5. Minnesota ($2,436)

However, these numbers don't tell the whole story. For example, even though Oregon has the highest individual income tax collections, it only ranks 21st for property taxes collected per person and 14th for overall tax collections per person.2

Of course, there are states that have no income taxes at all, including Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming. Neither does the state of Washington, but it does impose a 7% tax on capital gains income from the sale of assets such as stocks, bonds, business interests, or other investments and tangible assets for high earners (see "What about capital gains?").3

That said, making a tax-friendly state your primary residence may not offer much tax benefit if you work part or full time somewhere else. Nonresidents of Colorado, for example, may be required to file a state tax return if they received income from a source in Colorado or spend even a single day working there.

Even if you're in your vacation house too long, some states might want a cut. And certain states, including California and New York, can be extremely aggressive about going after income taxes—some can go so far as to check social media to see where you've been spending time.

What about capital gains?

The federal government taxes short-term capital gains on assets held for a year or less at the same rate as your ordinary income and uses the long-term capital gains tax rate of 0%, 15%, or 20% tax rate, depending on your income level, for assets held longer than a year. On top of these taxes, there is a 3.8% net investment income tax that can impact higher earners.

In addition, a majority of U.S. states levy capital gains taxes, with the top tax rates as high as 13.30% in California.4 The states with no additional state tax on capital gains are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming. (Visit your state's tax website for more details.)

These rules change frequently as states compete for business and investment, so be sure to check with a tax advisor who is familiar with the relevant state and local tax laws.

Property tax

Depending on where you live, property taxes can account for as much as 61.5% of state and local tax collections (hello, New Hampshire),5 and property taxes tend to rise alongside home values. This can be of particular concern to those on a fixed income, though some states do offer reduced property taxes for seniors.

To compare states, homeowners should look at the effective property tax rate, which is total property taxes paid divided by total home value. Using 2023 data from the Tax Foundation's report,6 the states with the highest effective property tax rate are:

  1. Illinois (1.83%)
  2. New Jersey (1.77%)
  3. Connecticut (1.48%)
  4. Nebraska (1.43%)
  5. Vermont (1.42%)

Whereas the states with the lowest effective property tax rate are:

  1. Hawaii (0.32%)
  2. Alabama (0.36%)
  3. Arizona (0.44%)
  4. South Carolina and Utah (0.47%)
  5. West Virginia (0.48%)

To put those figures in perspective, a homeowner in Illinois whose property is valued at $500,000 would pay $9,150 in property taxes ($500,000 × 1.83%), whereas a homeowner in Hawaii with an identical property value would owe only $1,600 ($500,000 × 0.32%).

Since property taxes are determined by local (not state) jurisdiction, it's best to check with a specific city or county for its property tax rates.

Sales tax

Of all the taxes we pay, sales taxes are typically the easiest to understand. After all, they're right there on the receipt—though not in Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon, which dispense with statewide sales taxes altogether. (Of these, only Alaska allows localities to charge sales taxes.)7

The highest per capita combined state and local sales tax rates occur in:

  1. Louisiana (10.11%)
  2. Tennessee (9.61%)
  3. Arkansas (9.48%)
  4. Washington (9.47)
  5. Alabama (9.44%)

States with low or no income taxes need to generate revenue from somewhere—often turning to sales taxes. While sales tax might not be as high as an income tax, it can add up, especially on popular big purchases like boats and cars.

Income, property, and sales taxes across America

No state is entirely tax-free.

StateIncome tax collections per capita*Effective property tax rateState and local sales tax†Quality of life ranking
AL$1,1600.91%9.44% #41
AK$0 (lowest)0.36%1.82%#49 (lowest)
AZ$6440.91%8.52%#23
AR$1,0290.44%9.48%#47
CA$2,4610.53%8.98%#2 
CO$1,1540.70%7.86%#12
CT$2,4360.50%6.35%#20 
DE$2,3591.48%0.00% (lowest) #33 (tie)
DCN/A 0.61%6.00% N/A 
FL$0 (lowest) 0.74%7.02% #4
GA$1,5120.77%7.44%#18 
HI$2,1510.32% (lowest)4.50%#42 
ID$1,0940.48%6.03%#25
IL$1,7271.83% (highest)8.92%#5
IN$1,7050.77%7.00% #26
IA$1,4441.23%6.94%#16 
KS$1,5311.19%8.78%#21
KY$1,3310.73%6.00% #46 
LA$1,0190.55%10.11% (highest)#37
ME$1,7790.94%5.50% #28
MD$1,9580.90%6.00% #34 
MA$3,1100.97%6.25% #6 
MI$1,1441.15%6.00% #10
MN$2,4360.99%8.13%#7
MS$8200.58%7.06% #48
MO$1,4010.88%8.41%#24
MT$2,0300.60%0.00% (lowest) #32
NE$1,5181.43%6.98%#29
NV$0 (lowest)0.49%8.24% #22
NH$1071.41%0.00% (lowest) #38
NJ$1,9821.77%6.60% #11 
NM$1,2500.61%7.67%#31 
NY$2,9801.26%8.54%#1 (highest) 
NC$1,5610.62%7.00% #17 
ND$6310.94%7.08%#36
OH$9581.31%7.30%#15 
OK$1,0860.77%9.05%#35 
OR$3,123 (highest)0.78%0.00% (lowest) #14
PA$1,3081.19%6.34% #3 
RI$1,4631.05%7.00% #44 
SC$1,0830.47%7.49%#27
SD$0 (lowest)0.99%6.11% #40 
TN$0 (lowest)0.49%9.61%#33 (tie)
TX$0 (lowest)1.36%8.20% #8
UT$1,9010.47%7.42%#30
VT$1,8671.42%6.39%#45
VA$1,9110.77%5.77%  #19 
WA$1080.75%9.47%#9
WV$1,5200.48%6.58% #43 
WI$1,533 1.25%5.72%#13
WY$0 (lowest)0.55%5.56%#39

Sources:

Income: Tax Foundation; U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections. Property: Tax Foundation; U.S. Census Bureau, 2021 American Community Survey. State and local sales: Tax Foundation; "State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2025." Quality of life: World Population Review, "Quality of Life by State 2025," worldpoulationreview.com, 07/18/2025."


*Fiscal year 2023.

†As of 07/08/2025. 

Estate and/or inheritance tax

Even if your estate falls within the federal estate tax exemption—$13.99 million for individuals and $27.98 million for married couples in 2025 ($15 million and $30 million, respectively, for 2026)—there are 17 states plus the District of Columbia that may tax your estate, your inheritance, or both.8 This is especially pertinent to individuals who wish to pass the maximum amount to their heirs (as opposed to, say, charity). Of those 17, 12 states and D.C. have an estate tax:

  • Connecticut (12% on estates above $13.99 million)
  • D.C. (11.2% to 16% on estates above $4.87 million)
  • Hawaii (10% to 20% on estates above $5.49 million)
  • Illinois (0.8% to 16% on estates above $4 million)
  • Maine (8% to 12% on estates above $7 million)
  • Maryland (0.8% to 16% on estates above $5 million)
  • Massachusetts (0.8% to 16% on estates above $2 million)
  • Minnesota (13% to 16% on estates above $3 million)
  • New York (3.06% to 16% on estates above $7.16 million)
  • Oregon (10% to 16% on estates above $1 million)
  • Rhode Island (0.8% to 16% on estates above $1.8 million)
  • Vermont (16% on estates above $5 million)
  • Washington (10% to 20% on estates above $2.19 million)

And five states have an inheritance tax (Maryland has both):

  • Kentucky (up to16%)
  • Maryland (up to 10%)
  • Nebraska (up to 15%)
  • New Jersey (up to 16%)
  • Pennsylvania (up to 15%)

What about trusts?

Trust terms aren't dependent on where you live. In fact, appointing a corporate trustee can allow you to locate your trust in a state significantly more advantageous than your own.

There are three things to look at when considering in which state to locate your trust: Does the state tax income, does it have favorable asset protection laws, and what are its statutes around dynasty trusts, which allow wealth to be passed down over several generations without incurring transfer taxes?

For example, about half of U.S. states and Washington, D.C.,9 allow dynasty trusts of varying lengths. But of the seven states that do not tax any personal income, only six—Alaska, Nevada, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wyoming—have laws designed to protect such trusts against claims by creditors and former spouses.10

Balancing act

Although states vary widely in their approach to taxes, it's hard to rank them from best to worst because it largely depends on your income, whether you own property, the size of your estate, where you want to live, and the benefits a state provides in exchange for its tax revenues.

For example, while retirees may be more concerned with Social Security and estate taxes, a young couple might care more about property taxes and proximity to family. It comes down to your stage of life and which taxes matter most to you.

Indeed, it can be well worth consulting a certified public accountant or tax advisor specific to any state in which you hope to live or work. They may know rules you haven't heard of and can potentially save you money in the long run, which is the very essence of being tax savvy.

What about Social Security?

Whether your Social Security benefit is federally taxable depends on your combined income—which is the total of your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) plus half your Social Security benefit and any nontaxable interest income (from tax-exempt municipal bonds, for example). You can do your own calculation by using the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant.

Nine states may also fully or partially tax your Social Security benefit, depending on your age, income, and other thresholds in 2025: Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia.11 Beginning in 2026, the list will get smaller, with West Virginia phasing out income tax on Social Security benefits.

1,2,3,5,6,8Tax Foundation, "Facts & Figures 2025: How Does Your State Compare?" taxfoundation.org, 03/25/2025.

4Lyle Daly, "Capital Gains Tax: Everything You Need to Know," fool.com, 07/24/2024.

7Tax Foundation, "State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2025," taxfoundation.org, 01/08/2025.

9Doug Luftman, "A Guide to Dynasty Trusts," trustandwill.com, 07/18/2025.

10Steve Oshins, "Dynasty Trust State Ranking Chart," oshins.com, 01/2025.

11Nicole Spector, "41 States That Won't Tax Social Security Benefits in 2025," nasdaq.com, 7/10/2025.

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