State-by-state numbers for life's big money decisions
Moving, having a baby, changing jobs: see what each state pays, taxes and charges, computed from 2026 tax brackets, state paid leave programs and cost of living data.
Start with the state numbers
Four questions that depend on where you live, plus two datasets you are free to cite. Estimates for planning, not tax or financial advice; see the methodology.
Moving to another state or city
Compare take-home pay, housing and cost of living between two places.
Having a baby: paid family leave
What each state program pays per week, for how long, at your salary.
State income taxes
How each state taxes income, with bracket tables and state guides.
Cost of living by city
Ranked cost-of-living index and budgets for 100 U.S. metros.
Datasets (free CSV)
Same $100,000 salary, single filer, three states
California
Take-home pay
$73,441
State income tax: $5,739
Texas
Take-home pay
$79,180
State income tax: $0
Colorado
Take-home pay
$74,780
State income tax: $4,400
Federal income tax, FICA and state income tax with the standard deduction; no local taxes. All 50 states and DC.
Supporting tools
Calculators for working through your own numbers once you have seen the state data: 2026 tax brackets, 100+ metros, all 50 states.
Scenario Comparison
Most PopularCompare up to 4 life scenarios with real tax calculations, COL adjustments, and 10-year wealth projections.
Relocation Calculator
100+ CitiesCity-to-city financial comparison across 100+ US metros with progressive tax brackets and housing data.
Rent vs Buy
NewBreakeven analysis with mortgage amortization, opportunity cost modeling, and wealth projection over time.
Job Offer Comparison
NewTotal compensation analysis — base, equity, 401k match, benefits, PTO — all adjusted for cost of living.
Essential Calculators
Quick-access tools for everyday financial questions.
Income Tax Calculator
2026 federal & state tax brackets with effective rate and bracket-by-bracket breakdown.
Paycheck Calculator
Salary to take-home pay with 401k, health insurance, and pay frequency options.
Mortgage Calculator
Monthly payment breakdown with full amortization schedule and interactive chart.
Cost of Living Calculator
Compare living costs between any two cities across 6 spending categories.
Retirement Calculator
Find out if you're on track to retire. Compound growth projections with 4% withdrawal rule analysis.
401(k) Calculator
2026 contribution limits, employer match projections, tax savings from pre-tax contributions.
Self-Employment Tax
SE tax calculator for freelancers and 1099 workers. Federal, state, and quarterly estimated payments.
Home Affordability
How much house can you afford? DTI analysis with conservative, standard, and aggressive ranges.
Savings Calculator
Compound interest projections with customizable contributions, rates, and time horizon.
Salary Converter
Convert between hourly, daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and annual pay instantly.
Auto Loan Calculator
Estimate monthly car payments with term comparison and amortization breakdown.
Debt Payoff Calculator
Snowball vs avalanche strategies. Find the fastest path to debt freedom.
Roth IRA Calculator
2026 contribution limits, eligibility check, tax-free growth vs taxable comparison.
Net Worth Calculator
Tally assets vs liabilities to see your complete financial picture.
Inflation Calculator
See how inflation erodes purchasing power over time.
Student Loan Calculator
Payment estimation with extra payment impact analysis and payoff timeline.
Credit Card Payoff
See the minimum payment trap and how fixed payments accelerate payoff.
Budget Calculator
50/30/20 rule budgeting with needs, wants, and savings allocation.
Compound Interest
See the power of compounding with daily, monthly, or annual frequency.
Refinance Calculator
Should you refinance? Breakeven analysis with total savings projection.
Emergency Fund
How much emergency savings you need based on your risk profile.
Personal Loan
Monthly payment estimator with term comparison and origination fees.
CD Calculator
Certificate of deposit earnings with APY, compounding, and term comparison.
Capital Gains Tax
2026 short-term and long-term rates with NIIT and state tax calculation.
Rental Property
Cash flow, cap rate, cash-on-cash return, and 10-year equity projection.
Divorce Calculator
Estimate divorce costs, alimony, child support, and asset division.
Baby Cost Calculator
First-year gear, childcare by state/city, and 5-year projections for the cost of having a baby.
Paid Family Leave
State PFL benefits, income gap analysis, and savings plan for maternity or paternity leave.
Salary Lookup
Look up salaries for 30+ occupations by experience level, adjusted for 20+ metro areas.
Popular guides
In-depth walkthroughs with worked examples and cited sources.
Cost of Living
Texas vs California: Taxes and Cost of Living Compared
Texas vs California take-home pay at six salaries, property tax, sales tax and the raise you need to break even, computed with the math shown.
Cost of Living
Cost of Living in California 2026: What a Single Person Needs
California costs 42% above the U.S. average. City-by-city rent, taxes and the salary a single person needs, computed from LifeCalc data.
Cost of Living
Cost of Living in North Carolina 2026: Taxes, Charlotte vs Raleigh
NC costs 4% below average, but Charlotte (98) and Raleigh (103) do not. 3.99% flat tax, take-home tables, and the July 2026 Mecklenburg sales tax rise.
Family
Paid Family Leave by State 2026: Pay, Caps and Weeks
12 states plus DC pay family leave in 2026. Compare weeks, weekly caps, and what a $40K to $200K salary actually receives in each, with calculators.
Retirement
401(k) Contribution Limits 2026: Max Deferral, Catch-Up & Match Math
2026 401(k) limits: $24,500 deferral, $8,000 catch-up, $11,250 at 60-63, $72,000 total. Tax-savings tables, match math and the new Roth catch-up rule.
Tax
$75K Salary After Taxes in 2026: Take-Home Pay in Every State
$75,000 filing single takes home $55,348 to $61,592 a year by state. Federal math, all 51 states, 401(k) effects and cost-of-living-adjusted pay.
Home Buying
How Much House Can I Afford on $100K?
Find out exactly how much house you can afford on a $100K salary using the 28/36 rule, real tax data, and current mortgage rates.
Real Estate
How to Calculate Rental Property Cash Flow
Learn how to analyze rental property cash flow with NOI, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return formulas plus a worked example.
Written by Frank Sterling (pen name), published by Honey Badger Labs LLC. See our methodology and sources.
Tax Brackets by State
2026 income tax rates for all 50 states.
Cost of Living by City
Explore living costs in 100+ US metro areas.
2026
Tax Bracket Data
100+
US Metro Areas
50
State Tax Rates
10yr
Wealth Projections
Why use LifeCalc for your financial planning?
Unmatched Accuracy
We don't "estimate" taxes. We apply real 2026 IRS progressive brackets and state-specific tax laws to every calculation.
Holistic Modeling
Most tools look at one number. We look at the intersection of income, taxes, housing, and cost of living to find your true purchasing power.
10-Year Projections
See the compound effect of your decisions. A small savings difference today can result in a $500k wealth gap over a decade.
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate are the cost of living numbers?
Our indices are based on BLS CPI data and localized housing market reports for over 100 US metro areas, updated quarterly.
Can I export my comparison results?
Yes! Every calculator supports PDF export and shareable URLs that encode your inputs so you can save your scenarios.
Is my data private?
LifeCalc does not require an account or store your personal financial data on our servers. Your inputs remain in your browser.
Ready to decide with confidence?
Stop guessing. Compare your options with real financial data.