Georgia vs Tennessee:
Take-Home Pay Comparison
Side-by-side tax comparison between Georgia (5.19% top rate, flat) and Tennessee (no income tax). See which state lets you keep more at every salary level, and how cost of living changes the picture.
Tax Structure: Georgia vs Tennessee
Tennessee has no state income tax, while Georgia uses a flat system with rates of 5.19% flat. On a $100K salary, this creates a state tax difference of $4,567/year that Tennessee residents simply don’t pay.
Georgia’s flat 5.19% rate means the gap scales linearly with income. At $200K, you’d save $9,757 by being in Tennessee instead.
Take-Home at Every Salary Level
Tennessee wins at 10 out of 10 salary levels tested. The advantage is consistent and significant across the income spectrum.
| Salary | Georgia | Tennessee | Difference | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40K | $32,867 | $34,320 | +$1,453 | Tennessee |
| $50K | $40,383 | $42,355 | +$1,972 | Tennessee |
| $60K | $47,899 | $50,390 | +$2,491 | Tennessee |
| $75K | $58,268 | $61,538 | +$3,270 | Tennessee |
| $100K | $74,558 | $79,125 | +$4,567 | Tennessee |
| $120K | $87,590 | $93,195 | +$5,605 | Tennessee |
| $150K | $106,589 | $113,751 | +$7,162 | Tennessee |
| $200K | $139,130 | $148,887 | +$9,757 | Tennessee |
| $250K | $170,912 | $183,264 | +$12,352 | Tennessee |
| $300K | $200,381 | $215,329 | +$14,947 | Tennessee |
Cost of Living: Georgia (93) vs Tennessee (90)
Take-home pay only tells part of the story. Georgia has a cost of living index of 93 while Tennessee is at 90 (national average = 100).
With similar costs of living (93 vs 90), the tax difference is the primary factor. What you see in raw take-home pay is essentially what you get in purchasing power: $80,170 in Georgia vs $87,917 in Tennessee.
Married Filing Jointly: How It Changes the Comparison
For a single earner at $100K filing jointly, take-home becomes $80,766 in Georgia and $84,710 in Tennessee \u2014 a difference of $3,944. The gap narrows under married filing, as the wider brackets reduce the tax bite in both states.
Should You Move from Georgia to Tennessee?
On paper, moving from Georgia to Tennessee would save $4,567/year on a $100K salary, or $22,836 over 5 years. But relocation involves real costs: moving expenses, potentially buying/selling a home, changing jobs, and adjusting to a new community.
The $4,567/year savings is meaningful but probably not enough to justify a move on its own. However, combined with other factors like career growth, lifestyle preferences, or family proximity, it could tip the scale.