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HEAD-TO-HEAD TAX COMPARISON · 2026

COUNTRY A Washington VS COUNTRY B Florida

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

Daniel · CountryTaxCalc Updated October 2026 Income tax verified October 2026 Tax Comparison 2026
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OVERVIEW
Neither Washington nor Florida taxes wages, so a single filer earning $100,000 pays $0 state income tax in both. The difference lies in everything else. Washington's state sales tax is 6.5% and the Tax Foundation puts its average combined state and local rate at 9.51%, versus 6.00% and 7.02% in Florida (Tax Foundation, rates as of 1 January 2026). The Tax Foundation's effective property tax rates on owner-occupied housing are 0.75% in Washington and 0.78% in Florida, so property tax is close to a wash on average. Using those statewide averages on assumed households, Florida comes out modestly cheaper for wage earners: about $473 a year at $100,000 of wages in our main example below, with a range of roughly $358 to $756 across the three examples, and your own county, home value and spending can move the result either way. The larger gaps are on wealth. Washington taxes long-term capital gains at 7% above an annual deduction ($278,000 for 2025) and 9.9% on taxable gains above $1 million, charges a Business and Occupation (B&O) gross receipts tax on business revenue, taxes estates above $3 million at 10% to 20% for deaths from 1 July 2026, and will tax individual income above $1 million at 9.9% from 2028 (ESSB 6346). Florida has none of these. This comparison is single filer, wages only, 2026, and state-level only; it does not model insurance, local fees, or itemised deductions.
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
Washington
TAX RATE
0%
No Income Tax on Wages

No tax on wages today; 7% capital gains tax (9.9% on taxable gains above $1M); estate tax from 10% to 20% above a $3M exclusion; 9.9% tax on income above $1M from 2028

🌴
COUNTRY B
Florida
TAX RATE
0%
No Income, Capital Gains or Estate Tax

No individual income tax, no estate or inheritance tax; 6% state sales tax (7.02% average combined); homestead exemption of up to $50,000 off taxable value

TYPICAL ANNUAL DIFFERENCE
Moving from Florida → Washington at $100,000 wages, $500,000 home, $25,000 taxable purchases (assumed)
$473

Florida is cheaper on sales plus property tax in this assumed example; state income tax is $0 in both states. Capital gains, B&O and estate tax are extra and are shown separately in the table.

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
🌲 WA TAX
🌴 FL TAX
SAVINGS
10-YEAR
$50,000 wages; $300,000 home; $18,000 taxable purchases (assumed)
$3,962 ($0 income + $2,250 property + $1,712 sales)
$3,604 ($0 income + $2,340 property + $1,264 sales)
$358 less in Florida
$3,580 if assumptions never changed
$100,000 wages; $500,000 home; $25,000 taxable purchases (assumed)
$6,128 ($0 income + $3,750 property + $2,378 sales)
$5,655 ($0 income + $3,900 property + $1,755 sales)
$473 less in Florida
$4,730 if assumptions never changed
$250,000 wages; $800,000 home; $40,000 taxable purchases (assumed)
$9,804 ($0 income + $6,000 property + $3,804 sales)
$9,048 ($0 income + $6,240 property + $2,808 sales)
$756 less in Florida
$7,560 if assumptions never changed
$100,000 wages plus a $500,000 long-term stock gain in 2025 (same home and spending as row 2)
$21,668 ($6,128 + $15,540 capital gains tax)
$5,655
$16,013 less in Florida
One-off gain, not annual
Estate with a $5,000,000 Washington taxable estate (assumed, no deductions)
$240,000 estate tax
$0
$240,000 less in Florida
One-off at death, not annual
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🌲

Washington Pros & Cons

+ PROS
  • No state income tax on wages and salary in 2026; the 9.9% tax on income above $1 million does not start until 1 January 2028 (ESSB 6346)
  • Food is listed among the retail sales tax exemptions (WA Department of Revenue)
  • Effective property tax rate on owner-occupied housing of 0.75%, slightly below Florida's 0.78% (Tax Foundation)
  • Real estate, retirement accounts and certain business assets are exempt from the capital gains tax (WA Department of Revenue), so selling a home does not trigger it
− CONS
  • Higher sales tax: 6.5% state rate and a 9.51% average combined rate (Tax Foundation, 1 January 2026), versus 7.02% in Florida
  • 7% capital gains tax on long-term gains above the annual deduction ($278,000 for 2025) and 9.9% on taxable gains above $1 million; Florida has none
  • B&O gross receipts tax applies to business revenue whether or not the business is profitable (for example 1.5% on service income under $1 million)
  • Estate tax of 10% to 20% above a $3 million exclusion for deaths from 1 July 2026; Florida has no estate tax
🌴

Florida Pros & Cons

+ PROS
  • No individual income tax, no capital gains tax and no estate or inheritance tax (Tax Foundation)
  • Lower sales tax: 6.00% state rate and 7.02% average combined rate (Tax Foundation, 1 January 2026)
  • Homestead exemption can reduce the taxable value of a primary residence by as much as $50,000 (Florida Department of Revenue)
  • Save Our Homes caps annual increases in the assessed value of a homestead at 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower (Palm Beach County Property Appraiser)
− CONS
  • Slightly higher average effective property tax rate on owner-occupied housing: 0.78% versus 0.75% in Washington (Tax Foundation)
  • Counties may add a discretionary sales surtax on top of the 6% state rate, so the 7.02% average hides county differences (Florida Department of Revenue)
  • The homestead exemption and Save Our Homes cap apply to a primary residence only; second homes and investment properties do not get them
  • Insurance and flood costs are real budget items for many Florida homeowners, but we did not fetch an official source for premiums and so do not quantify them here
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Which state has lower taxes, Washington or Florida?

For a single filer with wages only, both states charge $0 state income tax, so the difference comes from sales and property tax. Using Tax Foundation statewide averages (sales tax 9.51% in Washington vs 7.02% in Florida; effective property tax 0.75% vs 0.78%), Florida is cheaper by about $358 a year in a $50,000 wage example, $473 at $100,000 and $756 at $250,000 (our assumed homes and spending are shown in the table). Those are illustrations, not predictions for your address. Florida's advantage grows sharply if you realise large capital gains or leave a large estate.

How do sales and property tax compare in worked examples?

Example 1 ($100,000 wages, $500,000 home, $25,000 of taxable purchases, all assumed): Washington property tax $3,750 plus sales tax $2,378 = $6,128; Florida property tax $3,900 plus sales tax $1,755 = $5,655. Florida is about $473 cheaper. Example 2 ($50,000 wages, $300,000 home, $18,000 purchases): Washington $2,250 + $1,712 = $3,962; Florida $2,340 + $1,264 = $3,604. Example 3 ($250,000 wages, $800,000 home, $40,000 purchases): Washington $6,000 + $3,804 = $9,804; Florida $6,240 + $2,808 = $9,048. These use statewide averages and apply the same sales tax rate to all assumed purchases (no food exemptions modelled). They ignore the Florida homestead exemption (up to $50,000 off taxable value) and Save Our Homes cap, so a household with different spending, home value or county will see a different result.

Does Washington's capital gains tax apply to real estate?

No. The Washington Department of Revenue lists real estate as exempt from the capital gains tax, along with retirement account assets, certain assets used in a trade or business, timber and some other categories. The tax applies to long-term gains on assets such as stocks and bonds allocated to Washington. The rate is 7%, rising to 9.9% on taxable gains above $1 million. The standard deduction was $278,000 for 2025; we did not confirm a 2026 figure. Example: a $500,000 long-term stock gain in 2025 owes (500,000 - 278,000) x 7% = $15,540 in Washington. Florida has no state capital gains tax.

What is Washington's estate tax and does Florida have one?

Washington's estate tax exclusion is $3,000,000 for deaths on or after 1 July 2026 ($3,076,000 for deaths from 1 January to 30 June 2026), per the Department of Revenue. Under ESB 6347 (Chapter 209, Laws of 2026), the rate schedule for deaths from 1 July 2026 runs from 10% on the first $1 million of taxable estate to 14%, 15%, 16%, 18%, 19%, 19.5% and 20% at $9 million and above. Applying that schedule to a $2 million taxable amount (a $5 million estate less the $3 million exclusion, with no deductions assumed) gives 10% x $1,000,000 + 14% x $1,000,000 = $240,000. Deductions and credits can change the result, so confirm with the Department of Revenue tables. Florida has no estate or inheritance tax (Tax Foundation).

What is Washington's B&O tax and does it affect me?

The Business and Occupation (B&O) tax is a gross receipts tax on business revenue, paid whether or not the business makes a profit. The Department of Revenue lists rates of 0.471% for retailing, 0.484% for manufacturing and wholesaling, and 1.5% for service and other activities under $1 million (1.75% for $1 million to $5 million and 2.1% above $5 million). Example: a sole proprietor with $100,000 of service revenue would owe $1,500 before any small business credit. Wage earners do not pay B&O tax. We did not research Florida business taxes for this page, so confirm your situation with a tax professional.

What is Washington's new 9.9% tax on income over $1 million?

ESSB 6346, signed on 30 March 2026 (Chapter 238, Laws of 2026), imposes a 9.90% tax on individual income above a $1 million standard deduction beginning in calendar year 2028. It does not affect wages below $1 million, so Washington remains a no-wage-tax state for most earners through at least 2027. Florida has no individual income tax. High earners planning a long stay in Washington should factor it in.

Can I avoid Washington's capital gains tax by moving to Florida?

The Department of Revenue says the capital gains tax only applies to gains allocated to Washington. Residency can therefore matter for gains on intangible assets such as stocks, but it is a facts-and-circumstances question and we did not verify the Department's allocation rules in detail. Real estate is outside this tax in any case. Get advice from a qualified tax professional before timing a move around a sale.

How does Florida's homestead exemption and Save Our Homes cap work?

The Florida Department of Revenue says a property owner may be eligible for a homestead exemption that decreases taxable value by as much as $50,000. Separately, the Save Our Homes cap limits annual increases in the assessed value of a homestead to 3% or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower; the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser reports that the 2025 cap was 2.9%. Washington has no equivalent assessment cap in our sources; we did not verify its property tax limits for this page, so check the Department of Revenue property tax page.

Is Florida better than Washington for retirees?

Both states charge no state tax on wages, so the comparison depends on assets. Florida has no estate tax and no capital gains tax, while Washington's estate tax applies above $3 million and its capital gains tax applies above the annual deduction (not to real estate or retirement accounts). Washington's sales tax averages 9.51% versus Florida's 7.02%. Health, climate, insurance and cost of living also matter but are outside this tax comparison.
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