- Rate
- ~3.332% eff.
- Vignette tax
- $2,665.89
- Rank
- #2
New York City vs Philadelphia Local Income Tax 2026
Philadelphia pays $322.11 more local tax on $80,000 single-filer wages (local tax only).
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
- Rate
- 3.735%
- Vignette tax
- $2,988
- Rank
- #1
Side-by-side gap
Local tax difference on $80,000 single-filer wages (local tax only): $322.11. State, federal, and FICA are not included.
Key takeaways — New York City vs Philadelphia
- Philadelphia costs about $322.11 more in local tax ($2,665.89 vs $2,988).
- New York City: ~3.332% eff. (progressive city). Philadelphia: 3.735%.
- New York City ranks #2; Philadelphia ranks #1 (#1 = highest local tax on the vignette).
- Sources: NYC Dept. of Finance / NY Tax Law; City of Philadelphia — Wage Tax (employers) (pair-specific—not every city in the hub).
- Model a full paycheck at / with each city’s local toggle.
Rate contrast — New York City vs Philadelphia
| Topic | New York City | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Rate type | Progressive city brackets | Flat 3.735% |
| Vignette local tax | $2,665.89 | $2,988 |
| Effective on vignette | 3.332% | 3.735% |
| State | New York (NY) | Pennsylvania (PA) |
| Official source | NYC Dept. of Finance / NY Tax Law | City of Philadelphia — Wage Tax (employers) |
| Last validated | 2026-08-08 | 2026-08-08 |
Local tax at different wages
Single filer; local/city tax only. Gap is the absolute difference between the two cities.
| Wages | New York City | Philadelphia | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $1,507.65 | $1,867.50 | $359.85 |
| $80,000 | $2,665.89 | $2,988 | $322.11 |
| $120,000 | $4,216.29 | $4,482 | $265.71 |
| $200,000 | $7,317.09 | $7,470 | $152.91 |
How to read this comparison
New York City vs Philadelphia local income tax in 2026
This page compares resident local/city tax only for New York City (NY) and Philadelphia (PA) on $80,000 single-filer wages (local tax only).
Philadelphia is higher by about $322.11 before state, federal, and FICA.
New York City note: Progressive NYC personal income tax on top of New York State tax (same model as selecting New York City in the state list). Uses NY taxable income after the NY standard deduction.
Philadelphia note: Uses the Jul 1, 2026 resident Wage/Earnings Tax rate (3.735%) published by the City of Philadelphia. Jan–Jun 2026 withholding used 3.74%. Non-resident rate is lower (3.425%) and is not modeled here.
How each city’s rate works
New York City uses progressive city brackets; effective rate on the vignette is about 3.332%.
Philadelphia uses a flat resident rate of 3.735%. Local tax on the vignette is $2,988.
Official pages: https://www.nyc.gov/site/finance/taxes/businesses-income-tax.page and https://www.phila.gov/services/payments-assistance-taxes/taxes/business-taxes/business-taxes-by-type/wage-tax-employers/.
Same wages, different local tax
The ladder below recomputes local tax at $50k–$200k single wages with the same engine as the paycheck calculator.
When one city is progressive (NYC), the gap is not a constant percentage of wages—check each row.
Relocation decisions should still include state tax, housing, and sales tax—not local tax alone.
Who this New York City vs Philadelphia comparison helps
Useful if…
- •Candidates weighing New York City vs Philadelphia offers
- •Editors covering municipal wage-tax rate changes
- •Payroll teams comparing withholding for two work locations
Use official tools if…
- •Live-in-one-city / work-in-another schedules (Ohio credits)
- •Non-resident withholding that differs from resident rates
- •Full SALT itemizing questions beyond this local-tax-only page
New York City vs Philadelphia checklist
- 1Read NYC Dept. of Finance / NY Tax Law and City of Philadelphia — Wage Tax (employers) for current resident rates.
- 2Confirm residency for each city’s ordinance.
- 3Check the wage ladder for your salary band.
- 4Open /local-income-tax-by-city/new-york-city and /local-income-tax-by-city/philadelphia for full profiles.
- 5Run both scenarios in the paycheck calculator with local tax on.
Vignette: $2,665.89 (New York City) vs $2,988 (Philadelphia).
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Resident local / wage tax rates and vignette tax side by side.