Throughout his 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump mused that he might abolish the federal income tax in the United States and replace that federal cash flow with income generated by tariffs.
While there could be a number of benefits for many Americans if federal income taxes ended, it remains to be seen whether Trump’s tariffs could be successful enough to facilitate such a radical change to America’s tax structure.
Check Out: Trump Wants To Eliminate Income Taxes — Here’s How Much Extra You’d Take Home If You Make $150K a Year
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Still, if Trump were able to pull this off, one of the many changes Americans would experience would be higher paychecks. It’s an idea that GOBankingRates has explored regarding the paychecks of the upper-middle class, as well as the median paycheck in each and every state.
Here, GOBankingRates analyzes how paychecks for the lower-middle class would be impacted in each state if President Trump were to abolish the federal income tax.
Alabama
Median income: $55,135
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,681
Tax burden: 20.7%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,022
Tax burden: 4.7%
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Alaska
Median income: $79,409
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,462
Tax burden: 19.4%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $3,054
Tax burden: 0.0%
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Arizona
Median income: $68,330
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,111
Tax burden: 19.7%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,576
Tax burden: 2.0%
Arkansas
Median income: $52,242
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,611
Tax burden: 19.8%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $1,930
Tax burden: 4.0%
California
Median income: $85,630
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,472
Tax burden: 24.9%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $3,135
Tax burden: 4.8%
Colorado
Median income: $82,195
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,424
Tax burden: 23.3%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $3,048
Tax burden: 3.6%
Connecticut
Median income: $83,342
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,454
Tax burden: 23.5%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $3,091
Tax burden: 3.6%
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Delaware
Median income: $73,648
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,167
Tax burden: 23.5%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,693
Tax burden: 4.9%
Florida
Median income: $63,743
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,039
Tax burden: 16.9%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,452
Tax burden: 0.0%
Georgia
Median income: $66,368
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,995
Tax burden: 21.9%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,438
Tax burden: 4.5%
Hawaii
Median income: $87,392
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,437
Tax burden: 27.5%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $3,120
Tax burden: 7.2%
Idaho
Median income: $66,343
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,003
Tax burden: 21.5%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,446
Tax burden: 4.1%
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Illinois
Median income: $72,624
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,141
Tax burden: 23.4%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,655
Tax burden: 5.0%
Indiana
Median income: $62,267
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,926
Tax burden: 19.6%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,322
Tax burden: 3.1%
Iowa
Median income: $65,019
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,942
Tax burden: 22.3%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,370
Tax burden: 5.2%
Kansas
Median income: $64,568
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,945
Tax burden: 21.7%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,367
Tax burden: 4.7%
Kentucky
Median income: $55,481
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,710
Tax burden: 19.8%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,053
Tax burden: 3.8%
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Louisiana
Median income: $53,353
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,660
Tax burden: 19.1%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $1,987
Tax burden: 3.2%
Maine
Median income: $63,798
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,922
Tax burden: 21.7%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,336
Tax burden: 4.8%
Maryland
Median income: $90,357
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,396
Tax burden: 25.2%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $3,317
Tax burden: 4.6%
Massachusetts
Median income: $90,080
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,373
Tax burden: 25.6%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $3,291
Tax burden: 5.0%
Michigan
Median income: $63,243
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,922
Tax burden: 21%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,329
Tax burden: 4.3%
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Minnesota
Median income: $77,827
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,272
Tax burden: 24.1%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,846
Tax burden: 4.9%
Mississippi
Median income: $48,813
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,519
Tax burden: 19.1%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $1,811
Tax burden: 3.5%
Missouri
Median income: $61,262
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,890
Tax burden: 19.8%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,277
Tax burden: 3.4%
Montana
Median income: $62,152
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,897
Tax burden: 20.6%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,292
Tax burden: 4.1%
Nebraska
Median income: $66,653
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,011
Tax burden: 21.6%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,457
Tax burden: 4.2%
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Nevada
Median income: $67,165
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,131
Tax burden: 17.5%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,583
Tax burden: 0.0%
New Hampshire
Median income: $85,002
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,614
Tax burden: 20.1%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $3,269
Tax burden: 0.0%
New Jersey
Median income: $89,822
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,400
Tax burden: 24.6%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $3,316
Tax burden: 4.0%
New Mexico
Median income: $55,222
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,717
Tax burden: 19.2%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,058
Tax burden: 3.1%
New York
Median income: $75,180
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,212
Tax burden: 23.5%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,756
Tax burden: 4.7%
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North Carolina
Median income: $62,136
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,910
Tax burden: 20.1%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,304
Tax burden: 3.6%
North Dakota
Median income: $67,510
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,134
Tax burden: 17.8%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,590
Tax burden: 0.2%
Ohio
Median income: $61,937
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,952
Tax burden: 18.1%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,344
Tax burden:1.6%
Oklahoma
Median income: $56,536
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,739
Tax burden: 20.0%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,090
Tax burden: 3.9%
Oregon
Median income: $71,489
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,028
Tax burden: 26.2%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,530
Tax burden: 8.0%
Pennsylvania
Median income: $67,627
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,064
Tax burden: 20.7%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,521
Tax burden: 3.1%
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Rhode Island
Median income: $76,775
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,296
Tax burden: 22.3%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,857
Tax burden: 3.2%
South Carolina
Median income: $59,393
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,828
Tax burden: 20.0%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,201
Tax burden: 3.7%
South Dakota
Median income: $64,374
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,056
Tax burden: 17.0%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,476
Tax burden: 0.0%
Tennessee
Median income: $59,641
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,919
Tax burden: 16.3%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,294
Tax burden: 0.0%
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Texas
Median income: $67,815
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,149
Tax burden: 17.6%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,608
Tax burden: 0.0%
Utah
Median income: $81,555
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,376
Tax burden: 24.3%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,992
Tax burden: 4.6%
Vermont
Median income: $69,354
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,089
Tax burden: 21.7%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,566
Tax burden: 3.8%
Virginia
Median income: $80,865
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,351
Tax burden: 24.4%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,959
Tax burden: 4.9%
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Washington
Median income: $84,401
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,598
Tax burden: 20.0%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $3,246
Tax burden: 0.0%
West Virginia
Median income: $51,481
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,599
Tax burden: 19.3%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $1,912
Tax burden: 3.5%
Wisconsin
Median income: $67,262
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,039
Tax burden: 21.2%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,492
Tax burden: 3.7%
Wyoming
Median income: $66,502
Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,113
Tax burden: 17.4%
Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,558
Tax burden: 0.0%
Methodology: To generate the income tax for every state, GOBankingRates first found lower middle class median income based on 2023 American Community Survey median household figures. Income tax estimates were created by using an in-house calculator for a single taxpayer and using the standard deduction (with 2024 tax brackets). GOBankingRates found each state’s (1) total annual income taxes paid; (2) total income tax burden; (3) amount taken out of bi-weekly paycheck; and (4) bi-weekly paycheck amount. GOBankingRates then took these figures and removed the federal income taxes (including FICA) to see what lower-middle-class paychecks would look like by state without federal income taxes. All data was collected on and is up to date as of April 15, 2025.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Paychecks of the Lower Middle Class Would Look in Each State If Trump Ended Federal Income Tax
