Personal Finance

How much you really need to earn to take home $100,000

Key Points
  • To clear six figures in take-home cash, GOBankingRates determined the exact salary you'd need, weighing federal, state and local taxes plus withholdings.
  • In Oregon, that comes out to $152,810; in Nevada and New Hampshire, it's $134,629.

For many American workers, earning a six-figure income is an impressive milestone. But it might not mean as much after accounting for state and local taxes, particularly in places like New York, California and Maryland.

To see how much you really need to take home $100,000, personal finance site GOBankingRates determined the exact salary, weighing federal, state and local taxes plus withholdings. (With the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, now is also a good time to take a look at your tax withholding at work.)

In Oregon, that comes out to $152,810. Since the Beaver State doesn't have a sales tax, high income taxes make up the difference.

Alternatively, residents of Nevada and New Hampshire need only to earn $134,629 on paper to take home $100,000 — that's largely because those states have no income tax on wages and salaries. (New Hampshire does tax income from dividends and interest but Nevada is one of seven states with no personal income taxes on wages, earnings or investment income.)