Your salary is only part of the picture. Two people earning $75,000 can end up with very different amounts of spending money depending on where they live. State income taxes take a big cut in some places and nothing at all in others. Rent varies even more. We combined 2026 tax brackets with HUD fair market rents to find which metros leave you with the most cash after the big bills are paid.
Take-home
$5,096/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,060/mo
Effective Tax Rate
18.5%
Take-home
$5,096/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,191/mo
Effective Tax Rate
18.5%
Take-home
$5,096/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,274/mo
Effective Tax Rate
18.5%
Take-home
$4,894/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,111/mo
Effective Tax Rate
21.7%
Take-home
$4,842/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,076/mo
Effective Tax Rate
22.5%
Take-home
$5,096/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,352/mo
Effective Tax Rate
18.5%
Take-home
$4,768/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,042/mo
Effective Tax Rate
23.7%
Take-home
$5,096/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,374/mo
Effective Tax Rate
18.5%
Take-home
$5,096/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,390/mo
Effective Tax Rate
18.5%
Take-home
$4,794/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,099/mo
Effective Tax Rate
23.3%
Take-home
$4,842/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,147/mo
Effective Tax Rate
22.5%
Take-home
$4,894/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,204/mo
Effective Tax Rate
21.7%
Take-home
$4,825/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,147/mo
Effective Tax Rate
22.8%
Take-home
$5,096/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,426/mo
Effective Tax Rate
18.5%
Take-home
$4,904/mo
2-BR Rent
$1,252/mo
Effective Tax Rate
21.5%
States like Texas, Florida, Tennessee, and Washington have no state income tax, which gives their metros a head start. But low taxes do not always mean low costs. Some no-income-tax states have higher property taxes or more expensive housing that offsets the savings. The best way to know is to compare your specific situation.
Run your own numbersData from IRS (2026 brackets) and HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026). Single filer, 2-bedroom apartment.