TakeHomeTax

Best Northeast States for Take-Home Pay (2026)

Tax rates and take-home pay comparison for all Northeast US states.

#1 State
New Hampshire
$79,125 take-home
States Ranked
10
Median: Massachusetts
Spread
$8,585
#1 vs #10 difference

Key Takeaways

This ranking covers 10 states, with New Hampshire at the top ($79,125 take-home on $100K) and New York at the bottom ($70,540). The spread between best and worst is $8,585/year.

The ranking is influenced by state income tax rates, tax structure (flat vs graduated), local taxes, and in cost-adjusted rankings, the cost of living index. States with no income tax generally rank highest for raw take-home pay, but cost adjustments can shuffle the order significantly.

Full Rankings

#StateTax RateTypeTake-HomeMonthlyEff. RateCost IndexCost-Adj.
1New Hampshire0%None$79,125$6,59420.9%108$73,264
2Rhode Island5.99%Grad.$75,232$6,26924.8%105$71,649
3Connecticut6.99%Grad.$74,582$6,21525.4%111$67,191
4Pennsylvania3.07%Flat$74,555$6,21325.4%98$76,077
5Maine7.15%Grad.$74,478$6,20625.5%98$75,997
6Massachusetts5%Flat$74,125$6,17725.9%118$62,818
7Vermont8.75%Grad.$73,438$6,12026.6%105$69,940
8Delaware6.6%Grad.$73,335$6,11126.7%102$71,897
9New Jersey10.75%Grad.$72,138$6,01127.9%115$62,728
10New York10.9%Grad.$70,540$5,87829.5%125$56,432
Pro Tip
Use the take-home calculator to model your specific salary and filing status. Rankings based on $100K may look different at your actual income level, especially in graduated-tax states.

Related Rankings

Best Southern States for Take-Home PayBest Western States for Take-Home PayBest Midwest States for Take-Home Pay9 States With No Income TaxStates With Flat Income Tax RatesStates With Graduated Income Tax
The Take-Home Tax Guide
Weekly tips on reducing your tax burden, state tax changes, and salary negotiation strategies. Free.