Georgia taxes and cost of living (2026)
Georgia has a flat 4.99% income tax. A $100,000 salary is worth about $70,241 a year in national buying power after every tax and Georgia's prices, #27 of 51 (the state average is $70,397). Retiring on $50,000 a year takes about $1.27M, #26 lowest.
- State income tax
- 4.99%
- Sales tax (avg. combined)
- 7.56%
- Property tax (effective)
- 0.74%
- Cost of living
- 96.3
- US = 100
- Social Security taxed?
- No
- Median home
- $343K
Take-home pay in Georgia
Single filer, 10% of salary to a pre-tax 401(k), standard deduction, renting. All taxes include estimated sales tax.
| Salary | Federal | FICA | State + local | All-in tax rate | Take-home | In US dollars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $3,220 | $3,825 | $1,497 | 18.2% | $36,458 | $37,862 |
| $75,000 | $6,020 | $5,738 | $2,620 | 20.3% | $53,123 | $55,168 |
| $100,000 | $10,970 | $7,650 | $3,743 | 23.5% | $67,638 | $70,241 |
| $150,000 | $21,134 | $11,475 | $5,988 | 26.9% | $96,403 | $100,114 |
| $250,000 | $43,304 | $15,514 | $10,479 | 28.9% | $155,703 | $161,697 |
What it takes to retire in Georgia
Married couple, age 60, withdrawals 60% from 401(k)/IRA, 20% Roth, 20% brokerage, no Social Security yet, renting. Spending at US-average prices.
| Spending | At GA prices | Income taxes | All taxes | FI number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $38,517 | $0 | $932 | $962.9K |
| $60,000 | $57,776 | $848 | $2,246 | $1.47M |
| $80,000 | $77,034 | $2,868 | $4,732 | $2.00M |
| $120,000 | $115,552 | $7,277 | $10,072 | $3.07M |
Georgia tax rules at a glance
- Income tax: Georgia has a flat 4.99% income tax. 2026 RATE CUT: HB 463 (signed May 11, 2026) cut the flat rate from 5.19% to 4.99% retroactive to Jan 1, 2026, and raised the std deduction from $12,000 / $24,000 to $15,000 / $30,000 and the dependent exemption from $4,000 to $5,000. Further 0.125-pt annual cuts toward 3.99% from 2027 are contingent on revenue triggers. Also excludes up to $1,750 each of overtime and tips (2026-2028). Note Tax Foundation's Jan 1 table still shows 5.19%.
- Local income tax: No local income taxes.
- Social Security: Not taxed. Social Security fully exempt.
- Retirement income: Per person: up to $35,000 age 62-64 (or permanently disabled), $65,000 age 65+. Covers pensions, IRA/401k, interest, dividends, capital gains, rents, and up to $5,000 of earned income. Military retirement: up to $17,500 under 62 (+$17,500 with earned income).
- Capital gains: Taxed at the flat rate; counts toward the age 62+ retirement exclusion.
- Sales tax: 4.00% state rate, 7.56% average with local taxes; groceries exempt.
Compare Georgia with
Frequently asked questions
Does Georgia have a state income tax?
Georgia has a flat 4.99% income tax. 2026 RATE CUT: HB 463 (signed May 11, 2026) cut the flat rate from 5.19% to 4.99% retroactive to Jan 1, 2026, and raised the std deduction from $12,000 / $24,000 to $15,000 / $30,000 and the dependent exemption from $4,000 to $5,000. Further 0.125-pt annual cuts toward 3.99% from 2027 are contingent on revenue triggers. Also excludes up to $1,750 each of overtime and tips (2026-2028). Note Tax Foundation's Jan 1 table still shows 5.19%.
How much is $100,000 after taxes in Georgia?
A single filer earning $100,000 who puts $10,000 in a 401(k) takes home about $67,638 after federal, state and local income taxes and payroll taxes, an all-in effective rate of 23.5% including estimated sales tax.
Does Georgia tax Social Security?
No. Georgia does not tax Social Security benefits. Social Security fully exempt.
How much do you need to retire in Georgia?
To spend $50,000 a year (at US-average prices) with withdrawals mostly from a 401(k)/IRA, you'd need about $1.27M in Georgia using the 4% rule, after its cost of living and taxes.
Is Georgia expensive to live in?
Georgia's cost of living index is 96.3, where the US average is 100 (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). The median home is worth about $343,300 and median rent is $1,506 a month.
How this is calculated
- Income taxes use 2026 federal and state brackets, standard deductions and personal exemptions or credits. No itemized deductions or other credits. Local income taxes use a typical statewide rate (for example, Maryland's county taxes or New York City's); many places have none.
- Payroll taxes include Social Security (6.2% up to the wage base), Medicare, and employee-paid state programs such as California SDI or Washington's paid leave premium. A married household salary is treated as two equal earners for payroll-tax caps.
- Cost of living uses the Bureau of Economic Analysis's Regional Price Parities (2024), where the US average is 100. Spending you enter at national prices is scaled by each state's index.
- Sales tax is estimated as the average combined state and local rate on about a third of spending (more where groceries are taxed). It is shown for context but not added to costs, because the price parities already include it. Property tax applies the state's effective rate to its median home value (Census ACS 2024) if you own.
- Retirement solves for the withdrawal that covers your spending plus the taxes it triggers, using each state's treatment of Social Security, retirement-account withdrawals and capital gains, then multiplies by 25 (a 4% withdrawal rate).
- Years to FI starts from zero, adds what you save each year in that state, and grows it at a 5% real return until it reaches that state's FI number.
Estimates for comparison, not tax advice. Your actual taxes depend on deductions, credits, where in the state you live and more. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities, Census ACS, state sales tax rates, IRS, state revenue departments (per state).