Massachusetts vs Rhode Island Taxes: Take-Home Pay Compared (2026)

On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps $1,234 more a year in Rhode Island than in Massachusetts ($103 a month).

Massachusetts

5% flat state income tax

$58,162

take-home on $75,000 · $4,847/month

43rd of 51 states for take-home pay

Massachusetts paycheck calculator ›

Rhode Island

3.75% - 5.99% state income tax

$59,396

take-home on $75,000 · $4,950/month

15th of 51 states for take-home pay

Rhode Island paycheck calculator ›

Take-home pay in Massachusetts and Rhode Island by salary

Salary	Massachusetts	Rhode Island	Difference
$40,000	$32,640	$33,437	$797 more in Rhode Island
$50,000	$40,175	$41,097	$922 more in Rhode Island
$60,000	$47,710	$48,757	$1,047 more in Rhode Island
$75,000	$58,162	$59,396	$1,234 more in Rhode Island
$100,000	$74,500	$76,032	$1,532 more in Rhode Island
$125,000	$90,773	$92,367	$1,594 more in Rhode Island
$150,000	$106,611	$108,268	$1,657 more in Rhode Island
$200,000	$139,247	$141,029	$1,782 more in Rhode Island

Single filer, standard deduction, no local tax. To match $75,000 in Massachusetts you would need about $73,150 in Rhode Island; to match $75,000 in Rhode Island you would need about $76,900 in Massachusetts.

How Massachusetts and Rhode Island tax wages

2026	Massachusetts	Rhode Island
Income tax	a flat 5% income tax	3 brackets from 3.75% to 5.99%
Top rate	5%	5.99%
Standard deduction	None (exemptions or credits only)	$11,200 single
State tax on $75k	$3,430 (4.6%)	$2,196 (2.9%)
Local wage taxes	No	No
Reciprocity	None	None

Moving between Massachusetts and Rhode Island

Moving from Massachusetts to Rhode Island

Moving to Rhode Island from Massachusetts raises take-home by $1,234 at $75,000, and from Connecticut by $1,429, because Rhode Island's 3.75% bracket covers most middle incomes. If you keep a Massachusetts job, though, you will still pay Massachusetts tax on those wages. Rhode Island has no local income tax, but TDI comes out of Rhode Island wages.

Moving from Rhode Island to Massachusetts

Moving to Massachusetts from New Hampshire, Florida, or Texas adds a 5% tax on nearly every dollar of wages, about $3,430 a year at $75,000. From New York or Connecticut the change is small at that salary and can favor Massachusetts at higher pay. Budget for the Paid Family and Medical Leave deduction too, and file Form 1-NR/PY for the year you arrive so Massachusetts taxes only income earned after your move.

Massachusetts paychecks in brief

Massachusetts taxes wages at a flat 5% for 2026. There is no standard deduction, only a $4,400 personal exemption for a single filer and a deduction of up to $2,000 for Social Security and Medicare withholding. A single worker earning $75,000 owes $3,430 to the state and takes home $58,162, or $2,237 every two weeks. Two things set Massachusetts apart: an extra surtax that applies only to income above a threshold of more than one million dollars, and the paid family and medical leave contribution withheld from most paychecks, which this estimate leaves out. Read the Massachusetts guide.

Rhode Island paychecks in brief

Rhode Island taxes wages in three brackets from 3.75% to 5.99%, but the first bracket is wide: a single filer stays at 3.75% on taxable income up to $82,050. With an $11,200 standard deduction and a $5,250 exemption, a $75,000 earner owes $2,196 to the state and takes home $59,396, or $2,284 every two weeks. Paychecks also carry a Temporary Disability Insurance deduction that our estimate leaves out. Read the Rhode Island guide.

Massachusetts vs Rhode Island: FAQ

Does Massachusetts or Rhode Island have lower income taxes in 2026?

On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps $1,234 more a year in Rhode Island than in Massachusetts ($103 a month). Massachusetts has a flat 5% income tax for 2026. Rhode Island has 3 brackets from 3.75% to 5.99% for 2026. For single filers the top 5.99% rate starts at $186,450 of taxable income.

What salary in Rhode Island equals $75,000 in Massachusetts?

To take home the same $58,162 that $75,000 leaves in Massachusetts, you would need about $73,150 in Rhode Island, based on income, payroll, and state taxes only. Housing and other living costs are not included.

How much more do high earners keep in Rhode Island than in Massachusetts?

At $150,000 the gap is $1,657 a year: $106,611 in Massachusetts versus $108,268 in Rhode Island. Progressive brackets make the difference grow faster as income rises.

What if I live in Massachusetts and work in Rhode Island?

Massachusetts and Rhode Island do not have a reciprocity agreement, so Rhode Island withholds tax on wages earned there and Massachusetts generally gives residents a credit for tax paid to the other state. You effectively pay the higher of the two rates.