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California, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Arizona, Indiana, Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, Iowa, Arkansas, Idaho, Hawaii & North Dakota Retirement Income Tax Calculator

California exempts Social Security but taxes other retirement income.

California, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Arizona, Indiana, Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, Iowa, Arkansas, Idaho, Hawaii, North Dakota share this page. Their rules produce the same answer to within a rounding difference, so publishing separate near-identical pages would add URLs without adding information. Every figure below applies to all 15 states.

California retirement income tax estimator

California exempts Social Security but taxes other retirement income.

California tax —
After state tax —
Effective state rate —

Figures computed from Tax Foundation (2024-2026 rate tables) and Internal Revenue Service (current tax year) and U.S. Census Bureau (2024 5-year). Page last reviewed 2026-08-27. Estimates only — verify with the relevant agency before acting.

California at a glance

FigureCaliforniaSource
Taxes Social Security?No[1]
Top marginal rate13.30%[1]
Taxes pension income?Generally yes[1]
Cost of living index140.5[3]

[1] [3] Sources

Top marginal income tax rate — all 50 states

California highlighted. Same data as the table below, shown as a distribution so the comparison is visible at a glance.

Top marginal income tax rate — all 50 states. California is 13.30%, ranked 1 of 50. The national median is 4.55%, the highest is 13.30% (California), and the lowest is 0.00% (Wyoming). CA 13.30% HI 11.00% NY 10.90% NJ 10.75% OR 9.90% MN 9.85% MA 9.00% VT 8.75% WI 7.65% ME 7.15% CT 6.99% DE 6.60% MD 6.50% RI 5.99% NM 5.90% VA 5.75% MT 5.65% KS 5.58% ID 5.30% SC 5.21% AL 5.00% GA 4.99% IL 4.95% MO 4.70% WV 4.58% NE 4.55% OK 4.50% UT 4.50% CO 4.40% MI 4.25% MS 4.00% NC 3.99% AR 3.90% IA 3.80% KY 3.50% PA 3.07% LA 3.00% IN 2.95% OH 2.75% AZ 2.50% ND 2.50% AK 0.00% FL 0.00% NV 0.00% NH 0.00% SD 0.00% TN 0.00% TX 0.00% WA 0.00% WY 0.00%

Highlighted: California, ranked 1 of 50. Median 4.55%.

California state tax by retirement income mix

Annual California tax on each combination of Social Security and other retirement income.

Social SecurityNo other income+$10,000 other+$20,000 other+$30,000 other+$45,000 other+$60,000 other+$80,000 other+$110,000 other
$9,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630
$12,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630
$15,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630
$18,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630
$21,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630
$24,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630
$27,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630
$30,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630
$33,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630
$36,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630
$39,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630
$42,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630
$45,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630
$48,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630
$54,000$0$1,330$2,660$3,990$5,985$7,980$10,640$14,630

Worked figures for California

California values:

ProfileGrossState TaxNetEffective
$18,000 SS + $0 pension + $5,000 401k$23,000$665$22,3352.89%
$24,000 SS + $0 pension + $10,000 401k$34,000$1,330$32,6703.91%
$24,000 SS + $12,000 pension + $10,000 401k$46,000$2,926$43,0746.36%
$30,000 SS + $20,000 pension + $15,000 401k$65,000$4,655$60,3457.16%
$30,000 SS + $30,000 pension + $20,000 401k$80,000$6,650$73,3508.31%
$36,000 SS + $40,000 pension + $25,000 401k$101,000$8,645$92,3558.56%
$42,000 SS + $50,000 pension + $40,000 401k$132,000$11,970$120,0309.07%
$48,000 SS + $60,000 pension + $50,000 401k$158,000$14,630$143,3709.26%

How California compares nationally

On top marginal income tax rate, California ranks #1 of 50 at 13.30% — 192% above the median of 4.55%. The national range runs from 0.00% (Wyoming) to 13.30% (California).

RankStateTop marginal income tax rate
#1California13.30%
#2Hawaii11.00%
#3New York10.90%

Exempts Social Securitys, ranked

Same rule structure as California:

StateTop marginal income tax ratevs California
California13.30%—
Wisconsin7.65%-42.5%
South Carolina5.21%-60.8%
Illinois4.95%-62.8%

California questions, answered with California numbers

Does California tax Social Security?▾
No. California exempts Social Security, though other retirement income is generally taxable.
What would a $65,000 retirement income cost in California tax?▾
On $30,000 Social Security, $20,000 pension and $15,000 of 401(k) withdrawals, California would take about $4,655 — an effective state rate of 7.16%, leaving $60,345.
Is California a good state to retire in on taxes alone?▾
California's top marginal rate is 13.30% and its cost of living index is 140.5. Tax is only one input — housing at a $776,000 median matters at least as much.

Other exempts social securitys

Illinois South Carolina Wisconsin

Last reviewed 2026-08-27. California figures only — verify with the relevant California agency before acting. How this is calculated.