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GOBankingRates

J. David Herman

How Much the Top 5% Pay in Taxes in Every State

DenisTangneyJr Jacob Boomsma America FICA GOBankingRates

The percentage of income America’s top earners get to keep varies dramatically depending on which state they call home.

A new study from GOBankingRates reveals a staggering disparity in both income levels and tax liabilities for the top 5% of earners across the 50 states. The analysis shows that the combined weight of federal, state and FICA taxes can consume nearly half of a paycheck in some areas while leaving significantly more on the table in others.

To determine these figures, GOBankingRates used a methodology centered on the 2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau to identify average top-tier incomes. The study then applied 2025 federal and state tax brackets sourced from the Tax Foundation, utilizing an in-house calculator to account for effective and marginal rates. The researchers also factored in FICA taxes using Social Security Administration rates and analyzed both single and joint filing scenarios.

Read on for key findings and a state-by-state breakdown.

Also see how much your state collects on each type of tax.

Key Findings

The average income for the top 5% varies drastically across the country. Connecticut has the highest average income at $691,840, while Mississippi has the lowest at $350,029 — a difference of over $300,000.
High earners in California face the nation’s heaviest tax burden, losing 42.8% of their income if filing single and 35.8% if married. Conversely, South Dakota provides the most tax-friendly environment for the top 5%, with burdens of only 31.3% (single) and 23.6% (married).
On average, married couples in the top 5% filing jointly see a significantly lower tax burden than single filers. Across all states, the average tax burden for a single filer is approximately 36.1%, while the burden for a married couple is 28.8%, representing a savings of over 7% of total income.
There are nine states with no state income tax (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming). In these states, the total tax burden for the top 5% is driven almost entirely by federal and FICA taxes, consistently keeping their total burden below the national average.

Here’s how the numbers look for each state.

Check Out: 5 Ways You Can Reduce Your Tax Bill Like a Millionaire, According to Robert Kiyosaki

Also See: 9 Low-Effort Ways To Make Passive Income (You Can Start This Week)

Alabama

Average income of top 5%: $397,327
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $141,493
- Tax burden: 35.6%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $111,218
- Tax burden: 28.0%

See More: 7 Tax Loopholes the Rich Use To Pay Less and Build More Wealth

Alaska

Average income of top 5%: $464,476
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $146,897
- Tax burden: 31.6%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $112,741
- Tax burden: 24.3%

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Arizona

Average income of top 5%: $481,655
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $164,980
- Tax burden: 34.2%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $129,934
- Tax burden: 27.0%

Arkansas

Average income of top 5%: $393,716
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $135,644
- Tax burden: 34.5%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $105,988
- Tax burden: 26.9%

California

Average income of top 5%: $652,267
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $278,945
- Tax burden: 42.8%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $233,592
- Tax burden: 35.8%

Muhammad Zulkifal / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Colorado

Average income of top 5%: $554,557
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $204,283
- Tax burden: 36.8%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $167,470
- Tax burden: 30.2%

Read It: 10 States With Low Taxes and 10 Low-Cost-of-Living States Retirees Should Target

Connecticut

Average income of top 5%: $691,840
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $277,489
- Tax burden: 40.1%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $236,902
- Tax burden: 34.2%

Delaware

Average income of top 5%: $475,872
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $181,330
- Tax burden: 38.1%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $146,618
- Tax burden: 30.8%

Florida

Average income of top 5%: $515,024
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $165,777
- Tax burden: 32.2%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $130,105
- Tax burden: 25.3%

Jacob Boomsma / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Georgia

Average income of top 5%: $483,449
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $179,394
- Tax burden: 37.1%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $144,023
- Tax burden: 29.8%

Discover More: Top 8 States To Move to If You Don’t Want To Pay Taxes on Social Security

Hawaii

Average income of top 5%: $538,386
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $223,457
- Tax burden: 41.5%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $178,445
- Tax burden: 33.1%

christiannafzger / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Idaho

Average income of top 5%: $450,282
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $166,141
- Tax burden: 36.9%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $131,289
- Tax burden: 29.2%

Illinois

Average income of top 5%: $533,114
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $198,922
- Tax burden: 37.3%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $162,769
- Tax burden: 30.5%

Indiana

Average income of top 5%: $406,394
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $137,395
- Tax burden: 33.8%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $106,439
- Tax burden: 26.2%

Iowa

Average income of top 5%: $411,848
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $142,891
- Tax burden: 34.7%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $111,335
- Tax burden: 27.0%

Find Out: Here’s the Line Between Middle Class and Upper-Middle Class in Every State

Kansas

Average income of top 5%: $438,959
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $161,572
- Tax burden: 36.8%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $127,836
- Tax burden: 29.1%

Kentucky

Average income of top 5%: $397,314
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $137,574
- Tax burden: 34.6%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $107,485
- Tax burden: 27.1%

Louisiana

Average income of top 5%: $401,046
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $134,862
- Tax burden: 33.6%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $104,119
- Tax burden: 26.0%

Maine

Average income of top 5%: $430,042
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $163,203
- Tax burden: 38.0%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $128,499
- Tax burden: 29.9%

Maryland

Average income of top 5%: $562,624
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $214,137
- Tax burden: 38.1%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $177,263
- Tax burden: 31.5%

Find More: Are You Rich or Middle Class? 8 Ways To Tell That Go Beyond Your Paycheck

Massachusetts

Average income of top 5%: $659,051
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $252,880
- Tax burden: 38.4%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $196,599
- Tax burden: 29.8%

Michigan

Average income of top 5%: $431,408
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $152,881
- Tax burden: 35.4%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $119,718
- Tax burden: 27.8%

Minnesota

Average income of top 5%: $508,887
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $206,570
- Tax burden: 40.6%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $165,892
- Tax burden: 32.6%

SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Mississippi

Average income of top 5%: $350,029
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $119,011
- Tax burden: 34.0%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $94,154
- Tax burden: 26.9%

Missouri

Average income of top 5%: $429,588
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $153,177
- Tax burden: 35.7%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $119,363
- Tax burden: 27.8%

Also Read: 4 AI-Generated Tax Errors To Keep an Eye Out For

Montana

Average income of top 5%: $451,698
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $167,637
- Tax burden: 37.1%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $132,726
- Tax burden: 29.4%

Nebraska

Average income of top 5%: $456,174
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $166,592
- Tax burden: 36.5%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $131,761
- Tax burden: 28.9%

Nevada

Average income of top 5%: $483,672
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $154,066
- Tax burden: 31.9%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $119,335
- Tax burden: 24.7%

New Hampshire

Average income of top 5%: $526,597
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $170,099
- Tax burden: 32.3%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $134,080
- Tax burden: 25.5%

New Jersey

Average income of top 5%: $640,483
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $254,963
- Tax burden: 39.8%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $216,896
- Tax burden: 33.9%

Check Out: 6 States Where People Are Saving the Most Money Due to the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act

New Mexico

Average income of top 5%: $381,839
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $135,034
- Tax burden: 35.4%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $104,574
- Tax burden: 27.4%

New York

Average income of top 5%: $658,885
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $262,048
- Tax burden: 39.8%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $223,503
- Tax burden: 33.9%

North Carolina

Average income of top 5%: $464,413
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $166,070
- Tax burden: 35.8%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $131,374
- Tax burden: 28.3%

North Dakota

Average income of top 5%: $446,825
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $148,809
- Tax burden: 33.3%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $113,881
- Tax burden: 25.5%

Ohio

Average income of top 5%: $428,314
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $146,916
- Tax burden: 34.3%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $113,845
- Tax burden: 26.6%

Also Explore: 5 States Where the Top 1% Pay the Least in Taxes

Oklahoma

Average income of top 5%: $395,074
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $139,251
- Tax burden: 35.2%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $109,050
- Tax burden: 27.6%

Oregon

Average income of top 5%: $483,899
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $200,034
- Tax burden: 41.3%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $163,273
- Tax burden: 33.7%

Pennsylvania

Average income of top 5%: $484,206
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $169,131
- Tax burden: 34.9%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $134,384
- Tax burden: 27.8%

Rhode Island

Average income of top 5%: $480,722
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $178,056
- Tax burden: 37.0%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $142,760
- Tax burden: 29.7%

digidreamgrafix / Getty Images/iStockphoto

South Carolina

Average income of top 5%: $435,664
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $161,540
- Tax burden: 37.1%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $127,318
- Tax burden: 29.2%

Find More: If Wealth Was Evenly Distributed Across America, How Much Money Would Every Person Have?

South Dakota

Average income of top 5%: $435,820
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $136,194
- Tax burden: 31.2%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $102,898
- Tax burden: 23.6%

Tennessee

Average income of top 5%: $451,917
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $142,206
- Tax burden: 31.5%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $108,427
- Tax burden: 24.0%

Texas

Average income of top 5%: $503,327
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $161,408
- Tax burden: 32.1%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $126,087
- Tax burden: 25.1%

Utah

Average income of top 5%: $493,961
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $180,344
- Tax burden: 36.5%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $145,263
- Tax burden: 29.4%

Vermont

Average income of top 5%: $458,386
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $178,584
- Tax burden: 39.0%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $141,540
- Tax burden: 30.9%

Find Out: I Asked ChatGPT What Would Happen If Billionaires Paid Taxes at the Same Rate as the Middle Class

Virginia

Average income of top 5%: $557,789
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $213,076
- Tax burden: 38.2%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $176,435
- Tax burden: 31.6%

Washington

Average income of top 5%: $601,055
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $197,910
- Tax burden: 32.9%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $161,757
- Tax burden: 26.9%

West Virginia

Average income of top 5%: $353,496
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $121,646
- Tax burden: 34.4%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $96,508
- Tax burden: 27.3%

Wisconsin

Average income of top 5%: $427,600
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $156,804
- Tax burden: 36.7%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $120,878
- Tax burden: 28.3%

Wyoming

Average income of top 5%: $443,880
Single filer:
- Average income taxes paid: $139,204
- Tax burden: 31.4%
Married filing jointly:
- Average income taxes paid: $105,667
- Tax burden: 23.8%

Methodology: In order to determine how much the top 5% of earners pay in taxes in each state, GOBankingRates first identified the average household income for the top 5% using the 2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Using these income levels, GBR applied federal and state income tax brackets sourced from the Tax Foundation’s 2025 data and calculated both effective and marginal tax rates with its in-house income tax calculator. GBR also incorporated Federal Insurance Contributions Act taxes using rates provided by the Social Security Administration. All calculations were performed for two filing scenarios: a single filer and a married couple filing jointly. The analysis produced state-by-state figures for total income taxes paid, overall tax burden, take-home pay, gross biweekly income, after-tax biweekly pay, and the amount withheld from each biweekly paycheck due to taxes. All data used in this analysis is current as of Feb. 3, 2026.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much the Top 5% Pay in Taxes in Every State

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