Georgia Paycheck Calculator & Income Tax Rates (2026)
Georgia has a flat 5.19% income tax. On a $100,000 salary a single filer keeps $74,558 after federal tax, FICA and $4,567 in state income tax — an effective rate of 25.4%, ranking #36 of 50 states for take-home pay.
Georgia Take-Home Pay Calculator
Pre-loaded with Georgia's 2026 brackets and standard deduction. Adjust salary and filing status; switch states to compare.
2026 Georgia Income Tax Brackets
Georgia taxes all taxable income at a single 5.19% rate. The only thing that changes your bill is the deduction that comes off the top first.
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| Over $0 | 5.19% |
Take-Home Pay at Every Income Level in Georgia
With a flat state rate the marginal state rate is constant, but the overall effective rate still rises because federal brackets are progressive.
| Gross Salary | Federal Tax | FICA | State + Local | Take-Home | Effective Rate | Monthly | Marginal State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40K | $2,620 | $3,060 | $1,453 | $32,867 | 17.8% | $2,739 | 5.2% |
| $50K | $3,820 | $3,825 | $1,972 | $40,383 | 19.2% | $3,365 | 5.2% |
| $60K | $5,020 | $4,590 | $2,491 | $47,899 | 20.2% | $3,992 | 5.2% |
| $75K | $7,725 | $5,738 | $3,270 | $58,268 | 22.3% | $4,856 | 5.2% |
| $100K | $13,225 | $7,650 | $4,567 | $74,558 | 25.4% | $6,213 | 5.2% |
| $120K | $17,625 | $9,180 | $5,605 | $87,590 | 27.0% | $7,299 | 5.2% |
| $150K | $24,774 | $11,475 | $7,162 | $106,589 | 28.9% | $8,882 | 5.2% |
| $200K | $36,774 | $14,339 | $9,757 | $139,130 | 30.4% | $11,594 | 5.2% |
Single vs. married filing jointly in Georgia
Georgia's joint deduction are the same as single brackets, so the marriage effect here comes from the deduction and the federal side. On $100,000 a joint return keeps $80,766 versus $74,558 for a single filer.
| Household income | Single take-home | Married (joint) take-home | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $75K | $58,268 | $61,976 | +$3,708 |
| $150K | $106,589 | $116,536 | +$9,947 |
| $250K | $170,912 | $185,209 | +$14,297 |
How Georgia Taxes Income
Georgia replaced its six-bracket income tax with a single flat rate in tax year 2024 and has been ratcheting it down ever since. House Bill 1437 (2022) set the schedule: 5.49% for 2024 stepping down by a tenth of a point each year toward 4.99%, contingent on revenue growth. The legislature has moved faster than that schedule twice — cutting the 2024 rate to 5.39% and then, in 2025, to 5.19%. The rate is 5.19% for tax year 2026, with the statutory path still pointed at 4.99%. The flat tax came paired with a much larger standard deduction, $12,000 single and $24,000 joint, and a $4,000 dependent exemption, which together push the effective rate well below the headline: a single filer at $60,000 pays about 4.2%. Georgia starts from federal adjusted gross income and taxes capital gains as ordinary income. The old graduated brackets topped out at 5.75% on income above just $7,000, so the flat structure was a cut for nearly everyone.
Deductions, exemptions and credits
Georgia's standard deduction is $12,000 for single filers and $24,000 for joint filers, and each dependent earns a $4,000 exemption; filer and spouse exemptions were folded into the standard deduction in 2024. Filers who itemize federally may itemize on the state return. Georgia has no state earned income credit, but 2025 legislation created a $250 credit per child under six and raised the child and dependent care credit to 50% of the federal amount, both in force for 2026.
Local income taxes in Georgia
Georgia has no local income taxes. Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta and the state's counties and school districts are barred from taxing wages or earnings and fund themselves through property taxes and local sales taxes instead. A worker in Fulton County pays the same 5.19% state rate as one in rural south Georgia.
Beyond the Paycheck: Sales and Property Tax
Sales tax
Georgia's state sales tax is 4%, among the lowest base rates, but local option taxes of 2% to 5% bring the typical combined rate to about 7.4% — Atlanta charges 8.9%, and most metro counties 7% to 8%. Groceries are exempt from the state 4% but fully subject to local sales taxes, so food is taxed at 2–4% in most counties. Prescription drugs are exempt; vehicles pay a 7% title ad valorem tax instead of sales tax.
Property tax
Georgia's property taxes are close to the national average, with an effective rate around 0.9% of market value. Exemptions vary dramatically by county: many suburban Atlanta counties exempt homeowners 65 and older from school taxes entirely, which can cut a bill by more than half. A 2024 constitutional amendment created a statewide floating homestead exemption that caps annual assessment growth at the inflation rate beginning in 2025, though many counties and school districts opted out.
How Georgia Taxes Retirement Income
Georgia is one of the most generous states for retirees. Social Security is fully exempt, and the retirement income exclusion lets each taxpayer 65 and older exclude up to $65,000 — $130,000 for a couple — of pensions, 401(k) and IRA withdrawals, interest, dividends, capital gains, rental income and a small amount of earned income. Taxpayers 62 to 64 can exclude $35,000 each. Military retirees under 62 get a separate exclusion of $17,500, doubled to $35,000 if they also have at least $17,500 of earned income, a benefit added in 2022. Combined with the $24,000 joint standard deduction, a retired couple over 65 can draw roughly $150,000 a year before owing Georgia a dollar.
Who Comes Out Ahead in Georgia
Retirees over 65 win — a couple can shield around $150,000 of retirement income plus all Social Security. High W-2 earners do well at a flat 5.19% with no local tax — better than South Carolina's 6% top rate, slightly worse than North Carolina's 3.99%. Dual-income couples get a doubled standard deduction and a single rate, so no marriage penalty. Remote workers living in Georgia owe 5.19% on all wages; nonresidents working for Georgia employers owe nothing unless they work in the state. Lower earners lost the old 1% and 2% brackets but gained a standard deduction that more than compensates.
Living on Georgia's Median Income ($56,000)
The median household income in Georgia is $56,000, which is $44,892 a year ($3,741 a month) after all taxes. That is close to the national median. After adjusting for cost of living, the purchasing power of that take-home is equivalent to $48,271 in an average-cost area.
Where Georgia Ranks on a $100,000 Salary
Georgia ranks #36 of 50 for raw take-home pay and #23 for cost-adjusted purchasing power at $100,000. The 13-place gap between the two reflects a below-average cost of living that boosts real purchasing power. The best state (Alaska) leaves $79,125; the worst (Oregon) leaves $70,932. Georgia is $4,567 behind the leader.