What this calculator doesn't model: Washington's capital gains tax — 7% on long-term capital gains above an annual standard deduction ($278,000 for 2025, indexed for inflation), plus an additional 2.9% (9.9% in total) on gains above $1 million — is filed separately from wage withholding and does not affect your W-2 paycheck. The workers' compensation premium Washington employers withhold by the hour is also left out. The calculator does include the WA Cares long-term care premium; if you have an approved exemption, add 0.58% of wages back.
What Washington taxes instead
Washington has no wage income tax, but it is the one no-income-tax state that still taxes investment gains.
- Capital gains tax — 7%–9.9%. Washington levies 7% on long-term capital gains above an annual standard deduction ($278,000 for 2025, indexed for inflation), plus an additional 2.9% (9.9% in total) on gains above $1 million. It does not touch wages, and most W-2 earners never encounter it, but it makes Washington genuinely different from the other eight states on this list.
- Income tax on high earners from 2028. Washington's no-income-tax status has an end date at the top: a 9.9% tax on income over $1 million, enacted in 2026, takes effect January 1, 2028, with the first returns due in April 2029. Income under $1 million is not taxed.
- Sales tax. Washington carries one of the highest combined sales tax rates in the country, and it is the main way the state collects from households.
- Business and Occupation tax. The B&O tax applies to gross business receipts rather than profit, meaning a business owes it even in an unprofitable year — an unusual structure that businesses often find more burdensome than a conventional corporate income tax.
None of this touches your paycheck. What comes out is federal tax, FICA, and the WA PFML + WA Cares premium, which the calculator above includes. The catch is that a bigger paycheck is not the same as a lower total burden: what the state skips on income it generally collects somewhere else. Compare against a state that does tax income using the state paycheck calculators.
Top Cities in Washington
The largest cities in Washington, by U.S. Census Bureau estimate for July 1, 2025:
- Seattle — 784,777 residents
- Spokane — 230,783 residents
- Tacoma — 229,816 residents
- Vancouver — 199,698 residents
How Washington Compares to Neighboring States
Single-filer take-home on a $75,000 annual salary in 2026, federal + state income tax + FICA only:
| State | Take-Home | vs. Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Washington (here) | $61,593 | — |
| Oregon | $56,538 | -$5,055 |
| Idaho | $58,716 | -$2,877 |
Take-home reflects single filer, no pre-tax deductions; SDI/PFML and local taxes excluded for an apples-to-apples comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Washington state income tax rate?
Washington has no state income tax on wages. Your mandatory paycheck deductions are federal income tax (10–37% depending on income), Social Security (6.2% up to $184,500 in 2026), and Medicare (1.45%, plus 0.9% on wages over $200K), plus the WA PFML + WA Cares premium.
How much is taken out of my paycheck in Washington?
For a single filer earning $75,000 in Washington (2026): about $7,670 in federal income tax, $5,738 in Social Security and Medicare, $0 in Washington state income tax, and $1,040 for the WA PFML + WA Cares premium, leaving about $60,552 a year, or $2,329 per biweekly paycheck.
What is the WA Cares deduction on my paycheck?
The premium for Washington's long-term care insurance program: 0.58% of all wages, with no cap. You can stop paying only with an approved exemption, and only after you give your employer the approval letter.
How much is Washington paid family leave in 2026?
Employees pay 0.807% of wages, their 71.43% share of the 1.13% total premium, up to the Social Security wage base.
Does Washington withhold state income tax?
No. There is no state income tax on wages. The state deductions are the paid leave and WA Cares premiums, plus the employee share of workers' compensation.
What is the minimum wage in Washington and Seattle in 2026?
$17.13 an hour statewide and $21.30 in Seattle. Workers aged 14 and 15 can be paid 85% of the state rate, $14.56.