Virginia vs 
New Hampshire
Take-home pay after federal tax, state income tax, and FICA — calculated with the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
Winner at $100k
New Hampshire
Extra take-home / year
$4,922
Per month
$410
Over 10 years
$49,220
Moving from Virginia → New Hampshire at $100,000
Metric vs metric
Lower tax and cost figures generally favor the highlighted cell. Rate structure notes sit under each state's calculator link.
| Metric | Virginia | New Hampshire |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | 5.75% · Progressive (top 5.75%) | 0% · No state income tax (0%) |
| Combined sales tax | ~5.77% | ~0% |
| Effective property tax | ~0.78% | ~1.5% |
| Cost of living index | 99.1 | 110.1 |
| Median household income | $88,800 | $92,800 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.6% |
Dig into each state's paycheck
Virginia rate structure
Progressive brackets with a top marginal rate of about 5.75%.
New Hampshire rate structure
No wage income tax; no statewide sales tax on most goods.
Overview
Virginia has progressive (top 5.75%), while New Hampshire has no state income tax. Moving from Virginia to New Hampshire saves about $4,922/year in take-home at $100,000 gross (single filer). Sales tax: ~5.77% vs ~0%. Property tax: ~0.78% vs ~1.5%. Median household income (ACS 2024): $88,800 vs $92,800.
Take-home by income
Net pay after federal income tax, state income tax, and FICA — single filer, standard deduction, no dependents (2026). Advantage is take-home in New Hampshire minus Virginia.
| Gross | Virginia take-home | New Hampshire take-home | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $40,308 | $42,355 | +$2,047 |
| $75,000 | $58,108 | $61,593 | +$3,485 |
| $100,000Headline | $74,258 | $79,180 | +$4,922 |
| $150,000 | $105,994 | $113,791 | +$7,797 |
| $200,000 | $138,255 | $148,927 | +$10,672 |
| $500,000 | $312,555 | $340,477 | +$27,922 |
Assumptions: single filer, standard deduction, no dependents, tax year 2026. At $100k: FICA ≈ $7,650 in both states; effective total tax rate ≈ 25.7% in Virginia vs 20.8% in New Hampshire. Local city taxes are not included unless noted.
$100k tax breakdown: Virginia vs New Hampshire
Where a $100,000 paycheck goes after federal income tax, state income tax, and FICA (2026, single filer).
| Line item | Virginia | New Hampshire |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| Federal income tax (est.) | $13,170 | $13,170 |
| State income tax | $4,922 | $0 |
| FICA (SS + Medicare) | $7,650 | $7,650 |
| Take-home pay | $74,258 | $79,180 |
| Effective total tax rate | 25.7% | 20.8% |
| Monthly take-home | $6,188 | $6,598 |
Federal estimates can differ slightly between states when state interactions affect taxable income. Combined sales tax ~5.77% (Virginia) vs ~0% (New Hampshire); effective property tax ~0.78% vs ~1.5%.
Pros & cons: Virginia vs New Hampshire
Tax structure, living costs, and lifestyle trade-offs beyond the paycheck number.
Virginia
Pros
- Lower effective property tax (~0.78% vs ~1.5% in New Hampshire)
- Lower cost of living index (99.1 vs 110.1; 100 = US average)
- Modeled with our 2026 federal + state + FICA paycheck engine
Cons
- −State income tax (Progressive (top 5.75%)) reduces take-home vs a $0-income-tax peer
- −Roughly $4,922/year less take-home at $100k vs New Hampshire
- −Higher combined sales tax (~5.77% vs ~0% in New Hampshire)
New Hampshire
Pros
- No state income tax on wages — $0 withholding vs Virginia's state tax
- About $4,922/year more take-home at $100k gross (single) vs Virginia
- No statewide sales tax — attractive for large retail purchases
Cons
- −Higher effective property tax (~1.5% vs ~0.78% in Virginia)
- −Higher cost of living index (110.1 vs 99.1; 100 = US average)
- −Local city/county taxes and credits are not fully modeled in the headline ladder
Who wins when
Quick read on when each state is the better fit — beyond the headline tax number.
- New Hampshire wins on take-home pay at every salary band in our ladder (single filer, standard deduction).
- Virginia: Lower effective property tax (~0.78% vs ~1.5% in New Hampshire)
- Virginia: Lower cost of living index (99.1 vs 110.1; 100 = US average)
- New Hampshire: No state income tax on wages — $0 withholding vs Virginia's state tax
- New Hampshire: About $4,922/year more take-home at $100k gross (single) vs Virginia
How we calculate Virginia vs New Hampshire
Tax engine. Federal income tax uses 2026 IRS brackets and the standard deduction for a single filer. FICA includes Social Security and Medicare employee shares. State income tax applies Virginia's and New Hampshire's rules as modeled in our US calculator (Progressive (top 5.75%) vs No state income tax (0%)).
What's included. Wage income only — no capital gains, self-employment tax, itemized deductions, credits, or local city wage taxes (e.g. NYC) unless noted. Sales tax (~5.77% vs ~0%) and property tax (~0.78% vs ~1.5%) are context metrics, not subtracted from the take-home ladder.
Cost of living. COL indexes (99.1 vs 110.1, 100 = US average) and median household income ($88,800 vs $92,800) help interpret whether a paycheck win buys more in real life. For city-level equivalent salary, use the Virginia → New Hampshire relocation calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Virginia vs New Hampshire taxes, take-home pay, and relocation.
Moving Virginia → New Hampshire?
Model cost-of-living equivalent salary, or open each state's paycheck calculator with your filing status and deductions.
Related tools
Estimates only for tax year 2026. Not tax advice — verify with your state tax agency or a CPA before relocating. Figures assume a single filer with the standard deduction and no dependents.