Texas Paycheck Calculator 2026 — No State Income Tax (Federal + FICA Only)

How much do I take home in Texas? — short answer first

Texas has no state income tax — one of nine states (AK, FL, NV, NH, SD, TN, TX, WA, WY) where your paycheck is reduced only by federal income tax + FICA. For a $100K single filer, Texas take-home is typically $4K-9K higher than the California or New York equivalent. But the 'no income tax' headline obscures the full picture: Texas has the 7th-highest property tax in the United States (effective rate ~1.6% of home value), and sales tax can reach 8.25% combined (6.25% state + up to 2% local). For renters with low property exposure and modest spending, Texas is genuinely cheaper. For high-spending homeowners, the net advantage shrinks significantly.

net_pay     = gross − federal_tax − fica − state_tax − local_tax − pre_tax
federal_tax = Σ (federal_bracket × rate) on (gross − std_dev − 401k − hsa)
fica        = MIN(wages, $181K) × 6.2% + wages × 1.45% + add'l Medicare
state_tax    = 0    // Texas has no state income tax
local_tax    = 0    // no local payroll tax in Texas

How Texas taxes payroll in 2026

Texas is one of nine US states with no state-level personal income tax. The Texas Constitution (Article VIII, Section 24) requires a statewide referendum to impose one — historically a high political barrier. Your Texas paycheck is reduced only by federal income tax (IRS 2026 brackets), Social Security (6.2% up to ~$181K), and Medicare (1.45% on all wages + 0.9% additional above $200K single / $250K joint). There is no Texas-specific payroll deduction — no state disability insurance, no mandatory state pension contribution, no local income tax. However, Texas funds public services largely through property tax (effective rate ~1.6% of home value, 7th-highest in the US) and sales tax (6.25% state + up to 2% local = 8.25% maximum). For W-2 employees who rent and spend modestly, Texas is one of the most tax-friendly states in the country. For high-spending homeowners — especially in HCOL Texas metros like Austin and Plano — the property tax burden can offset much of the income tax savings vs a state like California or New York at the same salary.

Texas city callouts

• Austin — Effective property tax ~1.8% of home value — among the highest in Texas; offsets some no-income-tax benefit.
• Houston — No zoning + lower COL than Austin; combined sales tax 8.25% (max in TX).
• Dallas-Fort Worth — Property tax ~2.0% in many DFW suburbs — among highest in US; renters benefit most from no income tax.

How to use this calculator

1. Enter your annual gross salary. Pre-tax, what your employer pays before any deductions.
2. Pick filing status. Single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, or head of household. Drives both federal and Texas brackets.
3. Add 401(k) and HSA contributions (optional). Both lower your federal taxable income; HSA also lowers FICA wages.
4. Read the verdict. Annual + monthly + bi-weekly take-home, federal + state + local breakdown, and effective tax rate.

Common mistakes

• Confusing gross with adjusted gross. The calculator wants your gross salary — what your employer pays before any pre-tax deductions or contributions. If you enter your W-2 Box 1 (already net of 401k), the math will under-count your tax.
• Forgetting that 401(k) is still subject to FICA. Traditional 401(k) reduces federal income tax but NOT Social Security + Medicare. Only HSA (through payroll) reduces both.
• Ignoring multi-state implications. If you work in Texas but live elsewhere (or vice versa), you may owe taxes in both states with a credit between them. This calculator assumes you both live and work in Texas.

US payroll terminology — quick reference

Eight terms that show up on every payslip. Skim the snippet; expand the card for the longer explanation. Same terms apply across all 51 state-paycheck calculators — only the Texas state line in each formula changes.

Methodology & Sources

Federal income tax + FICA: IRS Pub 15-T 2026 projected brackets + Social Security Administration 2026 wage base ($181,000) + Medicare 1.45% (no cap) + Additional Medicare 0.9% above $200K/$250K thresholds. Texas state income tax: Texas Comptroller — no personal income tax confirmation — last verified 2026-05-11. Brackets refresh annually — most state DORs publish updates in Q4 preceding the tax year. Federal 2026 figures are projected from 2025 (Rev. Proc. 2024-40) with ~2.5% inflation adjustment; refresh against IRS October release.

Frequently asked questions

Want to compare Texas take-home pay against another state? Use the national take-home pay calculator with a flat-rate state input. To see what you'd save by changing your 401(k) contribution, drop the gross salary into the salary-to-hourly calculator. For cost-of-living adjustments when comparing jobs across states, the cost of living calculator adjusts for housing + groceries + tax differences between metros.