South Dakota
$26,042
Combined bill · #6 of 9
- Paycheck tax
- $20,820
- Take-home
- $79,180
- Property tax
- $4,000
- Sales tax
- $1,222
- COL index
- 94.1
- Share of wages
- 26.0%
Florida keeps the modeled household bill about $706 lower than South Dakota. Neither state taxes wages. One fixed household — single filer, $100,000 wages, $400,000 home, $20,000 of taxable spending — so property and sales decide the gap (paycheck tax is tied).
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
Lower combined household bill
About $706 less per year — roughly $59 a month on identical assumptions.
$26,042
Combined bill · #6 of 9
$25,336
Combined bill · #5 of 9
Every row uses the same household. The gap column is the annual difference between South Dakota and Florida.
| Line | South Dakota | Florida | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paycheck tax (federal + FICA + PFML) | $20,820 | $20,820 | $0 |
| Property tax ($400,000 home) | $4,000 | $3,120 | $880 |
| Sales tax ($20,000 basket) | $1,222 | $1,396 | $174 |
| Combined household bill | $26,042 | $25,336 | $706 |
| Take-home on $100,000 | $79,180 | $79,180 | $0 |
| COL index | 94.1 | 100.7 | 6.6 |
| Share of gross wages | 26.0% | 25.3% | 0.7 pts |
Paycheck tax (federal + FICA + PFML)
Gap $0
Property tax ($400,000 home)
Gap $880
Sales tax ($20,000 basket)
Gap $174
Combined household bill
Gap $706
Take-home on $100,000
Gap $0
COL index
Gap 6.6
Share of gross wages
Gap 0.7 pts
Home value and taxable spending stay fixed, so the movement here comes from paycheck tax.
$75,000 wages
Florida lower by $706
$100,000 wages
Florida lower by $706
$150,000 wages
Florida lower by $706
Neither state taxes wages. Paycheck tax is tied on this vignette (federal income tax and FICA only).
1.00% in South Dakota vs 0.78% in Florida on the same $400,000 home — $880 apart.
6.11% vs 6.98% combined on $20,000 of purchases — $174 apart.
Both states are on the nine-state list. This page holds the household constant — $100,000 single-filer wages, a $400,000 home, $20,000 of taxable spending — then adds paycheck tax, property tax, and sales tax so neither state can look cheaper just by skipping wage PIT.
Florida models the lower total by $706 a year. Read the line items — the winner often wins on property or sales, not on the paycheck.
South Dakota does not tax wages. Property tax is the larger add-on versus Wyoming or Nevada on this vignette. Florida does not tax wages. Sales and property still apply on the household vignette.
South Dakota: $20,820 paycheck, $4,000 property, $1,222 sales. Florida: $20,820 paycheck, $3,120 property, $1,396 sales.
Take-home matches at $79,180 — federal income tax and FICA are the same, and neither state adds wage PIT.
As a share of wages the combined bill is 26.0% in South Dakota vs 25.3% in Florida.
South Dakota’s COL index is 94.1; Florida’s is 100.7 (US average = 100). A lower household tax total can still sit in a more expensive grocery and rent basket.
Among the nine, Tennessee has the lowest COL index (88.9) and Alaska the highest (129).
Use the tax columns to compare levies and the COL column to compare prices. They answer different questions.
Local city wage taxes are not in play here (none of the nine models a separate city PIT on this vignette). Employer payroll taxes, credits beyond calculator defaults, and Washington’s capital gains excise on certain long-term gains are excluded from the wage household total.
Property uses a statewide effective rate on a fixed $400,000 home — not your county millage or purchase price. Sales tax uses a combined state + average local rate on a fixed $20,000 basket.
The nine-state range at $100,000 is $24,018 (Wyoming) to $28,060 (Texas).
Home value and spending stay fixed, so the ladder mostly moves with paycheck tax. At $75,000, Florida is lower by $706. At $150,000, Florida is lower by $706.
If you itemize, buy a different-priced home, or spend more on taxable goods, reorder the pair in the property and sales hubs rather than treating this ladder as a forecast.
Short definitions so the wage, property, sales, and COL lines add up the way you expect.
The interesting gap is property, sales, and (for Washington) modeled employee PFML — not a state wage bracket.
Add paycheck tax, property on $400,000, and sales on $20,000. That is the ranking metric on the hub.
A separate price index. It does not change the tax dollars in the scoreboard.
South Dakota must be cheaper because both skip income tax.
Florida is lower on this vignette by $706. The other state still has no wage PIT.
Take-home is always identical across no-tax states.
It is identical on this pair ($79,180). Other nine-state pairs involving Washington are not.
Before treating the household total as a relocation decision.
Compare two of the nine
Combined wage, property, and sales tax on the $100,000 household vignette.
Estimates for one fixed household, 2026 rules. Statewide average property and sales rates — local wage taxes, city levies, Washington capital gains excise, credits, and itemized deductions are excluded. Not tax advice.