Compare · US
California vs Washington take-home pay
Washington has no state wage income tax; California does. Payroll premiums such as Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave or California SDI can still appear on real stubs — Counttaxes does not subtract those yet — but the state income-tax gap is the main modeled difference.
At this salary, estimated annual net is $3,441.69 higher in Washington.
Default scenario: $85,000.00 annual gross · single · tax year US-2026. California: $64,006.64; Washington: $67,448.33.
Tax year US-2026 · same salary in both places · illustrative estimate
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Place B
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Why the estimates differ
- Federal + FICA are identical for the same filing status and pay.
- Washington adds no state income tax on wages; California does.
- WA Paid Leave / WA Cares and CA SDI are disclosed, not subtracted.