Best States for Remote Workers — Take-Home Pay on $100K (2026)
Remote workers choosing where to live can keep up to $8,017 more per year by picking Alaska over Oregon on the same $100,000 salary. All figures assume a single filer with standard W-4 withholding.
Ranked take-home pay for remote workers ($100,000 salary)
| Rank | State | Annual Take-Home | No State Income Tax? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $79,180 | Yes |
| 2 | Florida | $79,180 | Yes |
| 3 | Nevada | $79,180 | Yes |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $79,180 | Yes |
| 5 | South Dakota | $79,180 | Yes |
| 6 | Tennessee | $79,180 | Yes |
| 7 | Texas | $79,180 | Yes |
| 8 | Vermont | $79,180 | No |
| 9 | Wyoming | $79,180 | Yes |
| 10 | Washington | $78,373 | Yes |
| 11 | North Dakota | $78,348 | No |
| 12 | Arizona | $77,180 | No |
| 13 | Ohio | $77,146 | No |
| 14 | Louisiana | $76,488 | No |
| 15 | Indiana | $76,260 | No |
| 16 | Arkansas | $76,181 | No |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $76,110 | No |
| 18 | Mississippi | $75,904 | No |
| 19 | Iowa | $75,874 | No |
| 20 | Kentucky | $75,798 | No |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $75,629 | No |
| 22 | North Carolina | $75,618 | No |
| 23 | West Virginia | $75,489 | No |
| 24 | Missouri | $75,410 | No |
| 25 | New Mexico | $75,275 | No |
| 26 | Connecticut | $75,255 | No |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $75,176 | No |
| 28 | Nebraska | $75,125 | No |
| 29 | Virginia | $75,078 | No |
| 30 | Colorado | $75,022 | No |
| 31 | Georgia | $74,939 | No |
| 32 | Michigan | $74,930 | No |
| 33 | Montana | $74,864 | No |
| 34 | Maryland | $74,749 | No |
| 35 | Utah | $74,730 | No |
| 36 | Idaho | $74,682 | No |
| 37 | Alabama | $74,420 | No |
| 38 | Kansas | $74,396 | No |
| 39 | Massachusetts | $74,280 | No |
| 40 | New Jersey | $74,275 | No |
| 41 | Illinois | $74,230 | No |
| 42 | Rhode Island | $74,151 | No |
| 43 | Maine | $73,925 | No |
| 44 | South Carolina | $73,836 | No |
| 45 | Delaware | $73,811 | No |
| 46 | New York | $73,796 | No |
| 47 | District of Columbia | $73,649 | No |
| 48 | Minnesota | $73,174 | No |
| 49 | Hawaii | $73,020 | No |
| 50 | California | $72,151 | No |
| 51 | Oregon | $71,163 | No |
No-income-tax states
Nine states do not levy a broad state income tax on wages: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wyoming, Washington. For remote workers, this means more of each paycheck stays in your pocket — federal income tax and FICA still apply everywhere. Alaska and New Hampshire have additional nuances (no wage tax on earned income in NH; Alaska has no state income tax but local taxes may apply in some areas).
No-income-tax states often rank at the top of take-home pay tables, but total cost of living, property taxes, and sales taxes also matter when choosing where to relocate.
Methodology
- Calculated using ExactTakeHome's engine (IRS Pub 15-T, SSA 2026 wage base).
- Single filer, biweekly pay, standard W-4, no pre-tax deductions.
- Assumes remote worker resides and is taxed in the listed state.
- Read the full methodology →
Frequently Asked Questions
Which state is best for remote workers in 2026?
Alaska ranks first for remote workers on a $100,000 salary in this model, with an estimated $79,180 annual take-home after federal and FICA withholding and no state income tax on wages.
Do remote workers pay taxes in the state they live in?
Yes. Remote workers generally owe income tax in their state of residence — the state where they live and work from home. Employers typically withhold based on the employee's home state, not the company's office location.
How much more do remote workers keep in Texas vs California?
On a $100,000 salary, Texas residents keep approximately $7,029 more per year than California residents in this engine model — Texas has no state income tax on wages.