- Taxes are due by April 17.
- Most Americans should file a state income tax return in addition to a federal income tax return.
- State income tax rates range from zero to 13.3%, depending on which state you live in and your income.
Tax day is April 17 this year, but the Internal Revenue Service began accepting tax returns on January 29.
Most Americans file returns for both state income tax and federal income tax. You can do that through H&R Block or TurboTax – both of which offer free tax filing for eligible taxpayers – or an accountant.
Nearly everyone is subject to federal income taxes. How much you pay depends on how much you earn, also known as your tax bracket.
Though President Donald Trump signed the Republican tax bill into law at the end of December, new federal tax brackets will affect only income earned starting January 1, 2018. You’ll see those changes when you file your 2018 taxes next year.
When it comes to state income tax, the amount you pay varies depending on where you live. Seven US states have no state income tax - Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. New Hampshire and Tennessee don't have a state income tax either, but they do tax interest and dividends at 5% and 6%.
The rest of the states either have a flat income tax - meaning everyone, regardless of how much they earn, pays the same percentage of their income to the government - or a progressive income tax, which means the tax rate is determined by income.
Among the 41 states that tax income, North Dakota has the lowest maximum rate at 2.9%. California and Maine are the only two states with double-digit tax rates for the highest earners, topping out at 13.3% and 10.15%.
After you file your tax return, you may get a state tax refund or a federal tax refund - or both. The IRS says the fastest way to get your tax refund is the method already used by most taxpayers: filing electronically and selecting direct deposit as the method for receiving your refund.
Below, we've created a ranking of states from the highest state income tax rate to the lowest income tax rate. For states that have a range of tax rates based on income, we used the highest rate to determine the ranking.
California
State income tax: 1% to 13.3%
Maine
State income tax: 5.8% to 10.15%
Oregon
State income tax: 5% to 9.9%
Minnesota
State income tax: 5.35% to 9.85%
Iowa
State income tax: 0.36% to 8.98%
New Jersey
State income tax: 1.4% to 8.97%
Vermont
State income tax: 3.55% to 8.95%
Washington, DC
State income tax: 4% to 8.95%
New York
State income tax: 4% to 8.82%
Hawaii
State income tax: 1.4% to 8.25%
Wisconsin
State income tax: 4% to 7.65%
Idaho
State income tax: 1.6% to 7.4%
South Carolina
State income tax: 0% to 7%
Connecticut
State income tax: 3% to 6.99%
Arkansas
State income tax: 0.9% to 6.9%
Montana
State income tax: 1% to 6.9%
Nebraska
State income tax: 2.46% to 6.84%
Delaware
State income tax: 2.2% to 6.6%
West Virginia
State income tax: 3% to 6.5%
Georgia
State income tax: 1% to 6%
Kentucky
State income tax: 2% to 6%
Louisiana
State income tax: 2% to 6%
Missouri
State income tax: 1.5% to 6%
Rhode Island
State income tax: 3.75% to 5.99%
Maryland
State income tax: 2% to 5.75%
North Carolina
State income tax: 5.75%
Virginia
State income tax: 2% to 5.75%
Oklahoma
State income tax: 0.5% to 5.25%
Massachusetts
State income tax: 5.1%
Alabama
State income tax: 2% to 5%
Mississippi
State income tax: 3% to 5%
Utah
State income tax: 5%
Ohio
State income tax: 0.495% to 4.997%
New Mexico
State income tax: 1.7% to 4.9%
Colorado
State income tax: 4.63%
Kansas
State income tax: 2.7% to 4.6%
Arizona
State income tax: 2.59% to 4.54%
Michigan
State income tax: 4.25%
Illinois
State income tax: 3.75%
Indiana
State income tax: 3.3%
Pennsylvania
State income tax: 3.07%
North Dakota
State income tax: 1.1% to 2.9%
