Georgia vs Texas Taxes: 2026 Take-Home Comparison
$100K single keeps $74,938.50 in GA vs $79,180 in TX. By-income table, Atlanta vs Dallas costs, property tax and FAQs below.
The $100K Verdict: Georgia vs Texas Take-Home
$100k single 2026: federal $13,170 + FICA $7,650.
GA: 4.99% x ($100k − $15k) = $4,241.50 → take-home $74,938.50.
TX take-home: $79,180 (no state income tax).
Difference: ≈ $4,242/yr (≈ $353/mo) kept in Texas.
Because federal income tax and FICA are identical in both states, the whole Texas advantage is the Georgia state tax you no longer pay. Use our paycheck calculator to model your own salary, then check the state pages: Georgia tax refund calculator and Texas tax refund calculator.
By-Income Table: Extra Kept in Texas (Single Filer, 2026)
Formula: GA tax = 4.99% x (gross − $15,000 single standard deduction). TX state tax = $0. Federal + FICA are identical in both states, so the TX advantage equals the GA tax exactly.
| Gross | GA state tax | TX state tax | Extra kept in TX / yr | Extra kept in TX / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $1,746.50 | $0 | $1,746.50 | $145.54 |
| $75,000 | $2,994.00 | $0 | $2,994.00 | $249.50 |
| $100,000 | $4,241.50 | $0 | $4,241.50 | $353.46 |
| $150,000 | $6,736.50 | $0 | $6,736.50 | $561.38 |
| $250,000 | $11,726.50 | $0 | $11,726.50 | $977.21 |
$100K take-home check: GA $74,938.50 vs TX $79,180 → diff $4,241.50 (≈ $4,242/yr).
Atlanta vs Dallas / Houston: The Mover Corridor
Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston compete for the same corporate relocations, airline-hub workers, and remote tech earners. The tax pitch is simple: a $100K single filer keeps about $4,242 more per year in Texas ($79,180 vs $74,938.50 in Georgia). But the honest comparison must net off housing: Dallas and Houston home prices, property tax bills, homeowners insurance, and commute costs can exceed Atlanta equivalents, so show paycheck gain side-by-side with a realistic mover budget, not as a standalone number.
Estimate your own numbers: Georgia tax refund calculator · Texas tax refund calculator · paycheck calculator.
Property Tax: Georgia Reassessment vs Texas 1.47–1.68%
Georgia's effective property tax rates are generally lower, but counties reassess values regularly, so fast-appreciating Atlanta-area homes see rising bills even when rates stay flat. Texas charges no income tax but levies median effective property tax rates near 1.47–1.68%, among the highest in the nation, plus local add-ons. Renters moving to Texas pocket the income-tax saving; buyers must check whether the property-tax bill eats it.
Model the housing side: property tax calculator · property tax deduction and SALT cap · state tax rates compared.
Retirees: Georgia Age 65+ $65K Exclusion vs Texas Zero
Georgia excludes up to $65,000 of retirement income per person at age 65+ (pensions, IRA/401(k), and investment income within the cap), which makes Georgia surprisingly competitive for middle-income retirees despite its 4.99% wage tax. Texas has zero income tax at every age, so high-income retirees with large distributions keep more in Texas. Frame it as: modest retirement income favors Georgia's exclusion; large distributions favor Texas.
Retirement planning: retiree tax refund calculator · income tax calculator.
Film / Indie Contractor Note
Atlanta's film and production contractors earning Georgia-source income face the same 4.99% flat tax (less the $15,000 single standard deduction), while the same contract work performed as a Texas resident faces $0 state income tax. Production workers who split time between states should track work-state days, since Georgia taxes income sourced in Georgia regardless of residence.
Contractor taxes: self-employment tax calculator · Georgia tax refund calculator.
SALT Deduction Note
Under the federal SALT cap, Georgia's $4,241.50 income tax on a $100K single filer is deductible only within the cap if the filer itemizes; Texas filers deduct sales and property taxes instead. High earners comparing states should model federal itemized vs standard deduction in both scenarios, because the SALT cap shrinks the federal value of Georgia's state-tax payments.
See also: itemized vs standard deduction · sales tax deduction · tax data hub.
Moving Checklist: Paycheck Gain vs Real Mover Budget
- Paycheck gain: confirm your income row in the by-income table — $1,747/yr at $50K, $4,242/yr at $100K single.
- Housing: compare Atlanta vs Dallas or Houston home prices and rents for the same commute radius.
- Property tax bill: get a real quote — Texas 1.47–1.68% effective rates can exceed the income-tax saving for buyers.
- Insurance and commuting: price homeowners insurance and commute costs in both metros.
- One-time move costs: movers from Georgia to Texas, deposits, andOverlap rent can erase year-one savings.
- Run both calculators: Georgia tax refund calculator and Texas tax refund calculator, plus the federal tax refund calculator.
This Georgia vs Texas comparison uses 2026 single-filer figures: a $15,000 federal standard deduction, Georgia's 4.99% flat income tax applied to income above the standard deduction, and $0 Texas state income tax. Federal ($13,170) and FICA ($7,650) at $100K single are identical in both states, so the Texas advantage equals the Georgia tax. Property-tax ranges (Texas 1.47–1.68%) and Georgia's age 65+ $65,000 retirement exclusion are described as planning context — verify your county appraisal and plan details before deciding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Georgia is moderately worker-friendly: a flat 4.99% income tax with a $15,000 single standard deduction keeps liability predictable, and the $100K single take-home is $74,938.50 after federal, FICA and state. It is less friendly than zero-income-tax Texas, but friendlier than high-bracket states like California or New York.
For wage earners, yes: Texas levies no state income tax, so a $100K single filer keeps about $4,242 more per year than in Georgia ($79,180 vs $74,938.50). Texas offsets this with higher property taxes around 1.47-1.68% and sales taxes, so homeowners and big spenders should compare total burden, not income tax alone.
Georgia effective property tax rates are generally lower, but counties reassess values regularly, so fast-appreciating Atlanta homes can see rising bills. Texas has no income tax but median effective rates near 1.47-1.68%, among the highest in the nation. A Texas homeowner can easily pay more in property tax than the Georgia income tax they would have owed.
Texas has no state individual income tax on wages, no corporate income tax (it uses a gross-receipts franchise tax instead), and no state-level property tax at all — property taxes are levied locally. Texans still pay federal income tax, FICA, local property taxes, and state plus local sales taxes on purchases.
It depends on income and housing: Texas saves earners the 4.99% Georgia income tax — $4,242 a year at $100K single — while Georgia usually has lower property tax rates and a lower overall cost of living. Compare paycheck gains against Dallas or Houston housing costs, property tax bills, insurance, and commuting before deciding.
Taxes alone rarely justify a move: the Georgia-to-Texas income tax saving is $1,747 at $50K and $4,242 at $100K single, but Texas property taxes, home prices, insurance, and moving costs can erase it. Move for jobs, housing, and lifestyle fit; treat the roughly $353 monthly $100K saving as a bonus, not the deciding factor.