Arizona vs Tennessee Taxes: Take-Home Pay Compared (2026)
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps $1,473 more a year in Tennessee than in Arizona ($123 a month).
Arizona
2.5% flat state income tax
$60,119
take-home on $75,000 · $5,010/month
12th of 51 states for take-home pay
Arizona paycheck calculator ›Tennessee
No state income tax on wages
$61,592
take-home on $75,000 · $5,133/month
1st of 51 states for take-home pay
Tennessee paycheck calculator ›Take-home pay in Arizona and Tennessee by salary
| Salary | Arizona | Tennessee | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $33,722 | $34,320 | $598 more in Tennessee |
| $50,000 | $41,507 | $42,355 | $848 more in Tennessee |
| $60,000 | $49,292 | $50,390 | $1,098 more in Tennessee |
| $75,000 | $60,119 | $61,592 | $1,473 more in Tennessee |
| $100,000 | $77,082 | $79,180 | $2,098 more in Tennessee |
| $125,000 | $93,980 | $96,703 | $2,723 more in Tennessee |
| $150,000 | $110,443 | $113,791 | $3,348 more in Tennessee |
| $200,000 | $144,329 | $148,927 | $4,598 more in Tennessee |
Single filer, standard deduction, no local tax. To match $75,000 in Arizona you would need about $72,900 in Tennessee; to match $75,000 in Tennessee you would need about $77,150 in Arizona.
How Arizona and Tennessee tax wages
| 2026 | Arizona | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | a flat 2.5% income tax | no state income tax |
| Top rate | 2.5% | 0% |
| Standard deduction | $16,100 single | Not applicable |
| State tax on $75k | $1,473 (2.0%) | $0 (0.0%) |
| Local wage taxes | No | No |
| Reciprocity | None | None |
Moving between Arizona and Tennessee
Moving from Arizona to Tennessee
Moving to Tennessee from Virginia raises take-home by $3,498 at $75,000, from Georgia by $2,994, and from Kentucky by $2,507. You will file a final part-year return in your old state but no Tennessee income tax return. The trade-off is sales tax: Tennessee's combined rates are among the highest in the country, and groceries are still taxed at a reduced state rate.
Moving from Tennessee to Arizona
Moving to Arizona from California raises take-home pay by $1,192 at $75,000, and from Utah by $1,630. Coming from Nevada, you start paying state income tax: $1,473 at that salary. Arizona has no city income taxes, so the statewide figure applies whether you settle in Phoenix, Tucson, or Flagstaff. Turn in Form A-4 on your first day so your employer does not fall back on the default percentage.
Arizona paychecks in brief
Arizona taxes wages at a flat 2.5%, one of the lowest income tax rates in the country, after a standard deduction that matches the federal $16,100 in our estimate. On a $75,000 salary, a single filer sends $1,473 to the Arizona Department of Revenue and nets $60,119 for the year, which works out to $2,312 per biweekly check. Withholding is the unusual part: on Form A-4 you choose a flat percentage of each paycheck, and the default does not track your actual bill. Read the Arizona guide.
Tennessee paychecks in brief
Tennessee does not tax wages, and since the Hall tax on interest and dividends ended in 2021 it does not tax investment income either. A single filer earning $75,000 takes home $61,592, or $2,369 every two weeks, after only federal tax and FICA. That is $3,498 more than in Virginia and $2,507 more than in Kentucky. The state's constitution bars a tax on earned income, and the cost shows up instead in some of the highest combined sales tax rates in the country. Read the Tennessee guide.
Arizona vs Tennessee: FAQ
Does Arizona or Tennessee have lower income taxes in 2026?
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps $1,473 more a year in Tennessee than in Arizona ($123 a month). Arizona has a flat 2.5% income tax for 2026. Tennessee has no state income tax.
What salary in Tennessee equals $75,000 in Arizona?
To take home the same $60,119 that $75,000 leaves in Arizona, you would need about $72,900 in Tennessee, based on income, payroll, and state taxes only. Housing and other living costs are not included.
How much more do high earners keep in Tennessee than in Arizona?
At $150,000 the gap is $3,348 a year: $110,443 in Arizona versus $113,791 in Tennessee. With flat or no state tax, the gap grows roughly in line with salary.