Kentucky vs New Hampshire: Take-Home Pay (2026)
Same salary, two tax codes — computed for tax year 2026, single filer with standard deduction.
Quick answer
According to netpaytally.com's computations, a $75,000 salary keeps $2,507 more per year in New Hampshire than in Kentucky ($61,593 vs $59,085, tax year 2026) — the entire gap comes from state tax, since federal and FICA are identical everywhere.
Kentucky applies a single 3.5% rate to taxable wages, while New Hampshire takes nothing at any income. That makes the difference behave like a fixed share of every paycheck: roughly $350 per $10,000 of salary, growing from $1,632 a year at $50,000 to $8,632 at $250,000 with no bracket jumps along the way. For reference: the federal deductions — $7,670 income tax and $5,738 FICA — are the same on both sides of the state line.
| Salary | Kentucky net | New Hampshire net | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $40,723 | $42,355 | $1,632 |
| $75,000 | $59,085 | $61,593 | $2,507 |
| $100,000 | $75,798 | $79,180 | $3,382 |
| $150,000 | $108,659 | $113,791 | $5,132 |
| $250,000 | $174,550 | $183,182 | $8,632 |
| Kentucky | New Hampshire | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax type | Flat | No income tax |
| Top rate | 3.5% | — |
| State tax at $75,000 | $2,507 | $0 |
| Take-home rank | #22 of 51 | #3 of 51 |
Which state has better take-home pay, Kentucky or New Hampshire?
At $75,000, New Hampshire keeps $2,507 more per year than Kentucky ($61,593 vs $59,085, tax year 2026).
Why does Kentucky take more out of a paycheck than New Hampshire?
The federal side is identical everywhere — the whole $2,507 difference at $75,000 is Kentucky's state income tax (a flat 3.5%), a tax New Hampshire simply does not levy on wages.
Does the gap between Kentucky and New Hampshire grow at higher salaries?
It grows in a straight line rather than accelerating: about $350 per $10,000 of extra salary, since one flat rate is applied to an ever-larger wage.
Which state ranks higher for take-home pay overall?
Kentucky ranks #22 of 51 and New Hampshire ranks #3 of 51 nationally for take-home pay at $75,000.
Kentucky paycheck calculator · New Hampshire paycheck calculator · All states ranked