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HEAD-TO-HEAD TAX COMPARISON · 2026

COUNTRY A Ohio VS COUNTRY B Georgia

Side-by-side analysis of income tax, effective rates, and take-home pay for Ohio and Georgia in 2026.

Daniel · CountryTaxCalc Updated August 2026 Tax Comparison 2026
Calculate your take-home → See all comparisons →
OVERVIEW
Ohio's simplified 2-bracket income tax (0% on the first $26,050, then just 2.75% above that) makes it one of the lowest-tax states in the country with any income tax, comfortably beating Georgia's flat 4.99% rate. At $100,000 income, Ohio's state tax bill ($1,591) is $1,797/year lower than Georgia's ($3,388), and the gap widens to nearly $10,800/year at $500,000. Ohio's income-tax advantage is real, but it comes with a catch: 200+ Ohio municipalities levy their own local income tax — Columbus and Cleveland both charge 2.5% — while Georgia has no local income tax anywhere in the state. Property tax also tells a different story: Ohio's average effective rate (~1.53%) is nearly double Georgia's (~0.87%), enough to flip the combined income-plus-property comparison in Georgia's favor on a $400,000+ home. Both states fully exempt Social Security; Georgia adds a generous $65,000 retirement-income exclusion for residents 65+.
Section 01

The Big Picture

Top-line rates and effective take-home for a typical earner — including income tax, social contributions, and applicable surcharges.

🏈
COUNTRY A
Ohio
TAX RATE
0-2.75%
2-Bracket Progressive
0% on first $26,050, then 2.75% above; Columbus/Cleveland add up to 2.5% local tax
🍑
COUNTRY B
Georgia
TAX RATE
4.99%
Flat Tax (2026)
Flat 4.99% for 2026, reached under HB 463 (down from 5.49% in 2024); no local income tax anywhere
TYPICAL ANNUAL DIFFERENCE
Moving from Georgia → Ohio at $100,000
$1,797
That's $150/month back in your pocket
Section 02

Tax Savings by Income Level

Net take-home after all income tax, social contributions, and surcharges — for a single employee with no dependents.
GROSS INCOME
🏈 OH TAX
🍑 GA TAX
SAVINGS
10-YEAR
$50,000
$216
$893
$677
$6,770
$75,000
$903
$2,141
$1,238
$12,380
$100,000
$1,591
$3,388
$1,797
$17,970
$150,000
$2,966
$5,883
$2,917
$29,170
$250,000
$5,716
$10,873
$5,157
$51,570
$500,000
$12,591
$23,348
$10,757
$107,570
💡

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🏈

Ohio Pros & Cons

+ PROS
  • 0% tax on the first $26,050 of income and just 2.75% above that — the lowest state-level income-tax burden of any state with an income tax in this comparison
  • Lower income-tax bill than Georgia at every income level shown — $677 to $10,757/year cheaper
  • No tax on Social Security and deductions of up to $26,050 for military/public pension income
  • Diverse metro economies (Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati) anchored by Fortune 500 employers, healthcare systems, and manufacturing
− CONS
  • 200+ municipalities levy local income tax on top of the state rate — Columbus and Cleveland both charge 2.5%, adding $1,000-$2,500/year for city residents that Georgia doesn't have anywhere
  • Higher average property tax (~1.53%) than Georgia (~0.87%) — large enough to flip the combined tax burden in Georgia's favor on a $400,000+ home
  • Some Ohio school districts levy an additional School District Income Tax (SDIT, ~1% average) layered on top of state and municipal taxes
  • Slower population growth than Georgia, which has seen strong net inbound migration in recent years
🍑

Georgia Pros & Cons

+ PROS
  • No local income tax anywhere in Georgia — unlike Ohio, where Columbus, Cleveland, and 200+ other municipalities add 1-2.5% local tax
  • Low average property tax (~0.87%), notably lower than Ohio's ~1.53% — enough to offset Georgia's higher state income-tax rate for many homeowners
  • Generous retirement deduction (up to $65,000 for residents 65+, $130,000 for couples) and Social Security exempt at any age
  • Atlanta's Fortune 500 density (Coca-Cola, Delta, Home Depot, UPS) and Hartsfield-Jackson's global flight connectivity for business travel
− CONS
  • Higher state income tax rate (4.99% flat) than Ohio's effective 0-2.75% structure — Ohio residents outside major cities pay $677-$10,757/year less at incomes from $50,000 to $500,000
  • Under-65 residents get no retirement-income exclusion — 401(k), IRA, and pension withdrawals are fully taxed at 4.99% until age 65
  • Atlanta's highway congestion (I-285, I-85, I-75, I-20) routinely ranks among the worst in the Southeast
  • Georgia's flat tax only reached its 4.99% floor in 2026 under HB 463 — Ohio's lower structure has been in place since its 2022 reform
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ohio or Georgia cheaper for state income tax?

Ohio is dramatically cheaper at every income level. At $100,000, Ohio's effective 0-2.75% structure costs $1,591 versus Georgia's flat 4.99% at $3,388 — a $1,797/year difference. At $500,000, the gap grows to $10,757/year. Ohio's 2022 tax reform (which consolidated 9 brackets into 2) is the main driver of this advantage.

Do Ohio's local city taxes change the comparison?

Significantly, for city residents. Columbus and Cleveland both charge 2.5% local income tax on top of the state rate. A Columbus resident at $100,000 pays roughly $1,591 state + $2,500 city = $4,091 combined — more than Georgia's flat $3,388, since Georgia has no local income tax anywhere. Outside major Ohio cities, Ohio's state-only rate keeps its clear advantage.

Which state has lower property tax, Ohio or Georgia?

Georgia has the lower average effective property tax rate at roughly 0.87%, compared to Ohio's roughly 1.53% — nearly double. On a $400,000 home, that's about $3,480/year in Georgia versus $6,120/year in Ohio, a savings of about $2,640/year that can outweigh Ohio's income-tax advantage for homeowners outside major cities.

So which state wins on combined income plus property tax?

It depends on home value and city. At $100,000 income with a $400,000 home outside a major Ohio city, Georgia's combined bill (about $6,868) is lower than Ohio's (about $7,711), because Georgia's property tax savings outweigh Ohio's income-tax advantage. For renters or lower-value homes, and for anyone in a Columbus/Cleveland-taxing municipality, Ohio's advantage shrinks further or disappears.

Does Ohio or Georgia tax retirement income like 401(k) and IRA withdrawals?

Ohio fully exempts Social Security and gives up to $26,050 in deductions for military/public pension income, but private pensions, 401(k), and IRA withdrawals are taxable above that threshold at 2.75%. Georgia fully exempts Social Security at any age and excludes up to $65,000 of retirement income for residents 65+, but taxes retirement account withdrawals in full for residents under 65.

How much would I save moving from Georgia to Ohio?

At $100,000 income, moving from Georgia to Ohio (outside a taxing municipality) could save about $1,797/year in state income tax — the largest income-tax gap in this comparison. At $250,000 income, savings grow to about $5,157/year. Moving to a Columbus or Cleveland address would reduce these savings by roughly $2,000-$2,500/year due to local city tax.

What is Ohio's School District Income Tax (SDIT)?

Ohio allows individual school districts to levy their own income tax on top of state and municipal tax, averaging roughly 1% statewide (ranging 0.25%-2%). Not every district levies it, but many suburban and urban districts do. A Columbus-area resident could face Ohio state (up to 2.75%) plus Columbus city (2.5%) plus SDIT (~1%) — a combined rate that can exceed Georgia's flat 4.99%.

Is Atlanta or Columbus/Cincinnati/Cleveland better for job opportunities?

Atlanta has a much larger concentration of Fortune 500 headquarters and a broader corporate and entertainment job market, plus unmatched airport connectivity via Hartsfield-Jackson. Ohio spreads its opportunities across three metros — Columbus (Intel, Ohio State), Cleveland (Cleveland Clinic, manufacturing), and Cincinnati (P&G, Kroger) — offering more geographic variety but smaller individual markets than Atlanta.
From the brief
NL27%new 2027 rate, down from 30%
DK65.4kkr/mo threshold, cut from 78k
MT1940snon-dom regime unchanged since
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