2026 Empirical Study: Net Take-Home Pay Adjusted for Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Purchasing Power Parities
Earning a six-figure salary of $100,000 yields vastly different standards of living depending on location. Click any state below to explore its full tax brackets or launch a side-by-side relocation comparison.
| Rank | State | Net Take-Home ($) | State Tax | Cost of Living (BEA) | Real Purchasing Power ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Puerto Rico (PR) | $76,350 | $16,000 | 84 | $90,893 |
| 2 | South Dakota (SD) | $78,978 | $0 | 88.5 | $89,241 |
| 3 | Arkansas (AR) | $75,898 | $3,080 | 86.9 | $87,339 |
| 4 | Mississippi (MS) | $75,688 | $3,290 | 87 | $86,998 |
| 5 | Iowa (IA) | $76,318 | $2,660 | 87.8 | $86,923 |
| 6 | North Dakota (ND) | $77,228 | $1,750 | 89 | $86,773 |
| 7 | Tennessee (TN) | $78,978 | $0 | 91.5 | $86,315 |
| 8 | Louisiana (LA) | $76,003 | $2,975 | 88.2 | $86,171 |
| 9 | Oklahoma (OK) | $75,653 | $3,325 | 88 | $85,969 |
| 10 | Wyoming (WY) | $78,978 | $0 | 92.5 | $85,382 |
| 11 | West Virginia (WV) | $75,394 | $3,584 | 88.5 | $85,191 |
| 12 | Alabama (AL) | $75,478 | $3,500 | 88.8 | $84,998 |
| 13 | Kentucky (KY) | $76,178 | $2,800 | 90.2 | $84,455 |
| 14 | New Mexico (NM) | $74,848 | $4,130 | 89.5 | $83,629 |
| 15 | Missouri (MO) | $75,618 | $3,360 | 90.5 | $83,556 |
| 16 | Kansas (KS) | $74,988 | $3,990 | 90.1 | $83,228 |
| 17 | American Samoa (AS) | $74,778 | $4,200 | 90 | $83,087 |
| 18 | Nebraska (NE) | $74,890 | $4,088 | 90.5 | $82,751 |
| 19 | Ohio (OH) | $76,528 | $2,450 | 92.5 | $82,733 |
| 20 | Indiana (IN) | $76,843 | $2,135 | 93.3 | $82,361 |
| 21 | Nevada (NV) | $78,978 | $0 | 97.5 | $81,003 |
| 22 | North Carolina (NC) | $75,828 | $3,150 | 94.5 | $80,241 |
| 23 | South Carolina (SC) | $74,498 | $4,480 | 93.5 | $79,677 |
| 24 | Texas (TX) | $78,978 | $0 | 99.5 | $79,375 |
| 25 | Michigan (MI) | $76,003 | $2,975 | 96.2 | $79,005 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania (PA) | $76,829 | $2,149 | 97.5 | $78,799 |
| 27 | Montana (MT) | $74,848 | $4,130 | 95 | $78,787 |
| 28 | Wisconsin (WI) | $73,623 | $5,355 | 93.5 | $78,741 |
| 29 | Idaho (ID) | $74,992 | $3,986 | 95.5 | $78,526 |
| 30 | Georgia (GA) | $75,205 | $3,773 | 96.3 | $78,094 |
| 31 | Alaska (AK) | $78,978 | $0 | 102.4 | $77,127 |
| 32 | Utah (UT) | $75,723 | $3,255 | 98.5 | $76,876 |
| 33 | Arizona (AZ) | $77,228 | $1,750 | 100.7 | $76,691 |
| 34 | Florida (FL) | $78,978 | $0 | 103.4 | $76,381 |
| 35 | Maine (ME) | $73,973 | $5,005 | 97.1 | $76,182 |
| 36 | Illinois (IL) | $75,513 | $3,465 | 100 | $75,513 |
| 37 | New Hampshire (NH) | $78,978 | $0 | 105.5 | $74,861 |
| 38 | Delaware (DE) | $74,358 | $4,620 | 99.8 | $74,507 |
| 39 | Colorado (CO) | $75,898 | $3,080 | 103.1 | $73,616 |
| 40 | Minnesota (MN) | $72,083 | $6,895 | 98.5 | $73,181 |
| 41 | Virginia (VA) | $74,953 | $4,025 | 102.5 | $73,125 |
| 42 | Rhode Island (RI) | $74,785 | $4,193 | 102.5 | $72,961 |
| 43 | Washington (WA) | $78,978 | $0 | 108.5 | $72,791 |
| 44 | Northern Mariana Islands (MP) | $76,178 | $2,800 | 105 | $72,550 |
| 45 | Vermont (VT) | $72,853 | $6,125 | 101.5 | $71,776 |
| 46 | Connecticut (CT) | $74,085 | $4,893 | 103.6 | $71,511 |
| 47 | Maryland (MD) | $74,953 | $4,025 | 105 | $71,384 |
| 48 | Oregon (OR) | $72,048 | $6,930 | 104.5 | $68,945 |
| 49 | Massachusetts (MA) | $72,678 | $6,300 | 105.8 | $68,694 |
| 50 | Guam (GU) | $75,478 | $3,500 | 110 | $68,616 |
| 51 | New York (NY) | $71,348 | $7,630 | 108.5 | $65,759 |
| 52 | New Jersey (NJ) | $71,453 | $7,525 | 108.8 | $65,674 |
| 53 | U.S. Virgin Islands (VI) | $75,478 | $3,500 | 115 | $65,633 |
| 54 | District of Columbia (DC) | $71,453 | $7,525 | 109.9 | $65,016 |
| 55 | Hawaii (HI) | $71,278 | $7,700 | 110 | $64,798 |
| 56 | California (CA) | $69,668 | $9,310 | 110.7 | $62,934 |