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2026 Retirement Tax Comparison

States That Don't Tax Retirement Income

A sortable 51-jurisdiction comparison of Social Security, pensions, 401(k) and IRA withdrawals, state exclusions, and top rates.

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By Bryan Martin, CPA, MBA | Updated September 2, 2026
The short answer
Nine states, Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming, impose no broad individual income tax on retirement income, and Illinois, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania exempt most traditional retirement income. Most states do not tax Social Security. The sortable table below compares all 50 states and DC for 2026.

Which states don't tax pensions?

States with no individual income tax plus the states whose pension treatment is listed as exempt in the reviewed table below. Partial and age-based exclusions are in the table.

Which states don't tax Social Security?

Most states exempt benefits. The states that still tax at least some Social Security are the ones missing from this list; the table below shows each one's rule.

Compare Retirement Taxes in All 50 States and DC

Use the search and filters to narrow the table. Linked states have a full Wave R1 guide; unlinked rows remain in the comparison asset and will receive full guides in the next two waves.

Official tax sourceExemptOften exemptPartially taxed$6,000 account exclusion at age 65+5.00%
Official tax sourceNo income taxNo income taxNo income taxNo individual income taxNone
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedTaxedUp to $2,500 for qualifying government pensions2.50%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedPartially taxedUp to $6,000 of eligible retirement income3.70%
Official tax sourceExemptTaxedTaxed$20,000 military-pay exclusion with income limits13.30%
Official tax sourcePartially taxedPartially taxedPartially taxedRetirement subtraction up to $20,000 or $24,0004.40%
Official tax sourcePartially taxedPartially taxedPartially taxedIncome-based Social Security and pension phaseouts6.99%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedPartially taxedUp to $12,500 pension exclusion at age 60+6.60%
Official tax sourceNo income taxNo income taxNo income taxNo individual income taxNone
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedPartially taxedRetirement exclusion up to $35,000 or $65,0004.99%
Official tax sourceExemptOften exemptTaxedEmployer-funded pension portions may be exempt11.00%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedTaxedDeduction for certain public pensions5.30%
Official tax sourceExemptExemptExemptQualified retirement income is subtracted4.95%
Official tax sourceExemptTaxedTaxedFederal civil-service deduction may apply2.95%
Official tax sourceExemptExempt at 55+Exempt at 55+Qualifying retirement income exclusion at age 55+3.80%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedTaxedKansas public pensions are generally exempt5.58%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedPartially taxedRetirement-income exclusion up to $31,1103.50%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedPartially taxedAge-65 exclusion starts at $12,000 per eligible person and is indexed annually3.00%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedTaxedPension-income deduction tied to Social Security benefit7.15%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedPartially taxedPension exclusion for qualifying residents age 65+6.50%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedTaxedMany government pensions are exempt9.00%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedPartially taxed2026 subtraction up to $67,610 single or $135,220 joint4.25%
Official tax sourcePartially taxedTaxedTaxedIncome-based Social Security subtraction9.85%
Official tax sourceExemptExemptExemptQualified retirement income is exempt4.00%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedPartially taxedPublic-pension deduction and phased $6,000 private exemption4.70%
Official tax sourcePartially taxedPartially taxedPartially taxedUp to $5,500 qualified retirement subtraction5.65%
Official tax sourceExemptTaxedTaxedMilitary retirement pay is exempt4.55%
Official tax sourceNo income taxNo income taxNo income taxNo individual income taxNone
Official tax sourceNo income taxNo income taxNo income taxInterest and dividends tax ended in 2025None
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedPartially taxedLarge age-62 exclusion subject to income limits10.75%
Official tax sourcePartially taxedPartially taxedPartially taxed$8,000 age-65 deduction; $30,000 military exclusion5.90%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedPartially taxed$20,000 exclusion at 59.5+; government pensions exempt10.90%
Official tax sourceExemptTaxedTaxedBailey relief and service-conditioned military deduction3.99%
Official tax sourceExemptTaxedTaxedLarge zero-rate bracket; military pay exempt2.50%
Official tax sourceExemptTaxedTaxedRetirement-income and senior credits may apply2.75%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedPartially taxedUp to $10,000 retirement-income exclusion4.50%
Official tax sourceExemptTaxedTaxedLimited retirement-income credit may apply9.90%
Official tax sourceExemptExemptExemptEligible retirement distributions are exempt3.07%
Official tax sourcePartially taxedPartially taxedPartially taxedIncome-tested retirement exclusion5.99%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedPartially taxedRetirement deduction plus age-65 deduction rules5.21%
Official tax sourceNo income taxNo income taxNo income taxNo individual income taxNone
Official tax sourceNo income taxNo income taxNo income taxNo individual income taxNone
Official tax sourceNo income taxNo income taxNo income taxNo individual income taxNone
Official tax sourcePartially taxedTaxedTaxedIncome-tested retirement and Social Security credits4.45%
Official tax sourcePartially taxedPartially taxedTaxedIncome-tested Social Security and pension exemptions8.75%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedPartially taxedAge deduction and $40,000 military subtraction5.75%
Official tax sourceNo income taxNo income taxNo income taxNo broad individual income taxNone
Official tax sourceExemptTaxedTaxedMost retirement income is taxable10.75%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedTaxedSocial Security fully exempt beginning in 20264.58%
Official tax sourceExemptPartially taxedPartially taxedUp to $24,000 at age 67+; claiming it bars state credits7.65%
Official tax sourceNo income taxNo income taxNo income taxNo individual income taxNone
Showing 51 jurisdictions. Rates are top marginal state rates, not the rate every retiree pays. Local taxes and eligibility rules may change the result.

The States With No Broad Individual Income Tax

Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming do not impose a broad individual income tax on Social Security, pensions, or retirement-account withdrawals.

That does not make every state-tax question disappear. Washington has a separate tax on certain long-term capital gains, and every state still has its own property, sales, insurance, and estate-planning cost profile.

Pensions and 401(k) Withdrawals Do Not Always Match

Some states exempt a traditional pension but tax an IRA distribution. Others cap one combined exclusion across pensions, annuities, and account withdrawals. Government pensions can receive a rule that private pensions do not.

That is why the table separates pensions from 401(k) and IRA withdrawals. The headline question is not just whether a state taxes retirement income. It is which stream you receive, at what age, and under which plan.

How to Compare States Before You Move

Run the comparison using a full year of your expected Social Security, pension, required distributions, Roth conversions, and taxable investments. Then add property tax, homeowners insurance, sales tax, health-care cost, and any estate or inheritance tax.

Use our separate guides for pension income, Social Security, and military retirement pay when one stream is a major part of the move.

Retirement Taxes by State FAQs

Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming do not impose a broad individual income tax. Illinois, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania also exempt most traditional retirement income even though they tax other income.

Comparing retirement locations or a large distribution?

We model the federal and state interaction before the move or withdrawal locks in the result. Educational content is not individualized tax advice.