Which states have the highest income taxes?

Ever wonder why your friend in Florida brags about tax season? It might be because their state doesn’t collect any income tax. Let’s break down which states take the biggest (and smallest) bites out of your paycheck.    State income taxes are separate from federal income taxes and help fund services including education (including K–12 teacher salaries), healthcare, infrastructure, public assistance, and state prisons.     Some states have a flat income tax rate, while others have a progressive rate, which means that higher earners pay a larger percentage of their income.

In 2022, the highest average state income taxes per person were in New York ($4,461), California ($3,735), and Massachusetts ($3,475).   The lowest averages among states that tax wages were in North Dakota ($605), Mississippi ($863), and Louisiana ($975).  But you could say the lowest averages were truly in the nine states that didn’t collect any state income tax. As of 2025, they were Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.  (New Hampshire and Tennessee collected small amounts in 2022 as they phase out income tax laws).

Compare by state

How short-staffed are US air traffic towers?

Help Wanted: Air traffic controllers. These professionals help manage air traffic and keep the skies safe. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) controls 290 air control facilities, but as of September 2023, nearly half of those facilities were understaffed. What’s behind the nationwide gaps?

In 2023, the FAA set a staffing goal of reaching 85% of target staffing levels at terminal air control facilities. Of the 290 facilities, 128 fell short.  Of the facilities that fell short of the goal, 84 had staffing ranges between 75.0% and 84.9%. The remaining 44 were staffed to less than 75%. Staffing levels included trainees.   The FAA cites several causes for shortages, including training delays related to COVID-19, an already-lengthy training timeline, and limited on-the-job training opportunities. Workforce losses from retirements, promotions, and resignations also play a role.  In 2023, Minnesota’s Rochester Tower was the nation’s most understaffed facility (at 47.8% of target air traffic controllers on staff). Iowa’s Waterloo Tower (56.5%) and New Jersey’s Morristown Tower (57.9%) followed.  The FAA exceeded its hiring goals in 2023 and in 2024. As of 2025, the FAA has announced a plan to accelerate air traffic controller hiring to address the shortages.

More on FAA staffing

Data behind the news

Tariffs are back in the news, but did they really ever leave? Here are the facts on tariffs in light of the tariffs President Trump announced on dozens of nations last Wednesday. USAFacts also took tariffs questions from our online followers last week. Replay the live stream here.   Tornadoes tore through the central US last week, killing several people. Here’s the data on where tornados happen most often.     The Labor Department reported that employers added 228,000 jobs in March. Curious about the nation’s unemployment and labor force participation rates?    The US dollar hit a six-month low against other major currencies on Thursday. Traditionally the dollar is strong.    A federal judge ruled last Monday that Alabama’s attorney general cannot prosecute people or organizations who help the state’s residents seek an out-of-state abortion.     Did you keep up with last week’s newsletter? Prove it with the weekly fact quiz.

One last fact

According to the Census Bureau, every state became more diverse between 2020 and 2023. By 2023, the most diverse counties were along the coast and near the Mexican border, while the Midwest, Appalachia, and parts of New England remained less diverse.    The bureau’s diversity index measures the probability that two people selected at random will be from different racial and ethnic groups.    Join the discussion on Reddit.