Texas has no state income tax
The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts says plainly that “Texans pay federal income taxes but not state or local income taxes.” There is no Texas income tax return to file for wages and no Texas income tax line on a paycheck.
Texas unemployment tax is an employer cost: the Texas Workforce Commission says unemployment taxes are not deducted from employee wages. So the state takes nothing from a Texas paycheck; what comes out is federal tax and anything you choose (401(k), health insurance).
What Texans pay instead: according to the Comptroller, Texas imposes a 6.25% state sales and use tax, a franchise tax on businesses and other taxes, while property taxes are levied by local governments, school districts and special purpose districts rather than the state. None of these come out of your paycheck.
What still comes out of a Texas paycheck
- Federal income tax. Estimated from your wages after pre-tax deductions, minus the federal standard deduction ($16,100 single, $32,200 joint, $24,150 head of household for 2026), through the federal brackets.
- Social Security: 6.2% up to $184,500 of wages in 2026 ($176,100 in 2025).
- Medicare: 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% Additional Medicare withheld on wages over $200,000.
Because nothing is taken for the state, a Texas worker keeps more of the same salary than a worker in a state with an income tax. With $130,000 a year, a single filer keeps about $3,851 a paycheck in Texas, against about $3,490 in California or $3,569 in New York State (2026 estimates from our calculators).
Reading a Texas pay stub
The tax lines you would expect on a Texas pay stub:
- Federal income tax (FIT or FITW) – set by your Form W-4. If it looks too high or too low, the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator helps you fill in a new W-4.
- Social Security (OASDI or FICA-SS) – 6.2% of your Social Security wages. It stops for the rest of the year once your wages reach $184,500 (2026), so high earners see bigger paychecks late in the year.
- Medicare (FICA-Med) – 1.45% of all wages, plus 0.9% once your wages for the year pass $200,000.
- Your own choices, such as 401(k) contributions, health insurance or a health savings account.
A state unemployment line should not appear: the Texas Workforce Commission says unemployment taxes are not deducted from employee wages. If you see a state income tax line, check whether your employer is withholding for another state where you used to live or work.
Federal deductions that matter in Texas
With no state income tax, federal income tax is the only income tax on your wages, so the new federal deductions for 2025–2028 carry more of the weight. If you earn tips or overtime, see our no tax on tips and no tax on overtime calculators; if you are 65 or older, the senior deduction calculator. These are claimed on your federal return, and you can reflect them on your Form W-4 to lower withholding during the year.
Same salary, five states (single, 2026, take-home for the year)
| Salary | Texas / Florida | Illinois | New York State | New York City | California |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $65,000 | $54,407.50 | $51,334.79 | $51,182.10 | $49,097.78 | $51,689.42 |
| $130,000 | $100,121.00 | $93,830.79 | $92,793.63 | $88,189.91 | $90,730.14 |
| $250,000 | $183,182.00 | $170,951.79 | $166,792.27 | $157,537.35 | $161,071.14 |
Worked out with our state paycheck calculators: no pre-tax deductions, no dependents, state payroll items included (California SDI; New York Paid Family Leave and disability). Credits are not included. Rent, sales tax and property tax are not part of take-home pay, so compare total living costs too.
Worked example: $5,000 every two weeks, single, 2026
| Gross pay per paycheck | $5,000.00 |
|---|---|
| Social Security 6.2% | − $310.00 |
| Medicare 1.45% | − $72.50 |
| Federal income tax: year $130,000 − $16,100 = $113,900 taxable; $17,966 + 24% × $8,200 = $19,934; ÷ 26 | − $766.69 |
| Texas income tax | $0.00 |
| Take-home per paycheck | $3,850.81 |
Federal figures use the same method as our federal paycheck calculator: the year’s income tax on your wages after pre-tax deductions and the standard deduction, spread evenly over your paychecks.
What this calculator does not cover
- Federal credits (child tax credit and others) and the new federal tips, overtime and senior deductions, which you claim on your return.
- If you live in Texas but work in a state with an income tax (or the other way round), that state’s rules may apply.
- Your employer’s exact W-4 withholding under IRS Publication 15-T.
Frequently asked questions
Does Texas have a state income tax?
No. Texas does not tax individuals’ wages, so nothing is withheld for state income tax.
Does any Texas city have an income tax?
No. The Texas Comptroller says Texans pay federal income taxes but not state or local income taxes.
Is unemployment tax taken from my Texas paycheck?
No. The Texas Workforce Commission says unemployment taxes are not deducted from employee wages; employers pay them.
Why might my paycheck differ?
Withholding follows your Form W-4 and the IRS Publication 15-T tables, which can differ from a yearly estimate, especially with bonuses or a second job.
Is my data stored?
No. Everything is worked out in your browser.
Official sources
Figures on this page come from these official pages.
- Texas Comptroller – A Field Guide to the Taxes of Texas (PDF)
- Texas Workforce Commission – Unemployment tax basics
- IRS Topic 751 – Social Security and Medicare withholding rates
- Social Security Administration – Contribution and benefit base (wage base)
- IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (PDF) – 2026 tax rate tables and standard deduction
- IRS Publication 15 (2026), Employer’s Tax Guide (PDF)
- IRS Tax Withholding Estimator