How Massachusetts taxes your paycheck
Massachusetts uses 2 graduated brackets for single filers, from 5% up to a top rate of 9% on income above $1,083,150. The model applies a personal exemption of $4,400 per person.
Massachusetts taxes most wages at a flat 5% and adds a 4% surtax on income above $1 million. Employees also pay into Paid Family and Medical Leave, which is deducted up to the Social Security wage base.
Massachusetts also takes payroll premiums from employee pay: MA PFML (0.46% of wages up to $184,500). These are included in the tables below.
Take-home pay in Massachusetts at common salaries
The table shows a single filer with no pre-tax deductions, paid biweekly, using 2026 federal rules and the Massachusetts rules described above.
| Salary | Federal tax | FICA | Massachusetts tax + programs | Annual take-home | Per biweekly check | Share kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $1,420 | $2,295 | $1,418 | $24,867 | $956.42 | 82.9% |
| $50,000 | $3,820 | $3,825 | $2,510 | $39,845 | $1,532.50 | 79.7% |
| $75,000 | $7,670 | $5,738 | $3,875 | $57,718 | $2,219.90 | 77.0% |
| $100,000 | $13,170 | $7,650 | $5,240 | $73,940 | $2,843.85 | 73.9% |
| $150,000 | $24,734 | $11,475 | $7,970 | $105,821 | $4,070.04 | 70.5% |
Married filing jointly
| Household wages | Federal tax | FICA | Massachusetts tax + programs | Annual take-home | Per biweekly check | Share kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $60,000 | $2,840 | $4,590 | $2,836 | $49,734 | $1,912.85 | 82.9% |
| $100,000 | $7,640 | $7,650 | $5,020 | $79,690 | $3,065.00 | 79.7% |
| $150,000 | $15,340 | $11,475 | $7,750 | $115,435 | $4,439.81 | 77.0% |
| $200,000 | $26,340 | $14,339 | $10,409 | $148,912 | $5,727.40 | 74.5% |
Joint filers use a standard deduction of $32,200 and wider federal brackets. For one-earner households, the numbers above assume all wages belong to one spouse; if both spouses work, each pays Social Security and Medicare on their own wages.
How Massachusetts ranks for take-home pay
At a $75,000 salary and single filing status, Massachusetts ranks #48 of 51 (50 states plus DC) for annual take-home pay at $57,718. The highest in this ranking is Alaska at $61,593. Massachusetts’s state income tax and payroll programs take about $3,875 of that salary, compared with $0 in a state with no wage tax. You can rank all states for any salary with the state comparison tool.
Compare Massachusetts with other states
- Massachusetts vs. California
- Massachusetts vs. New York
- Massachusetts vs. Minnesota
- Massachusetts vs. Texas
Sales tax in Massachusetts
Massachusetts’s state sales tax rate is 6.25%. Local governments add an average of 0.00%, for a combined average of about 6.25% (Tax Foundation, midyear 2026). The highest local rate in the state is 0.00%. Income tax and sales tax together set how far your money goes, so compare both when you consider a move.
What this estimate leaves out
Your actual paycheck can differ because of health insurance premiums, local taxes, employer-specific deductions and your Form W-4. See the paycheck withholding guide for how employers calculate withholding, and our methodology page for the list of simplifications.