Key Facts That Affect Your Take-Home Pay
- Tennessee eliminated its state income tax in 2021, but continues to tax investment income at a 1% rate through the Hall income tax on dividends and interest, though this only affects high earners with significant investment portfolios.
- Unlike other zero-income-tax states like Texas (property tax heavy) or Florida (sales tax heavy), Tennessee relies primarily on a 7% state sales tax plus local sales taxes that can push combined rates to 9.75% in some areas: one of the highest sales tax burdens in the nation.
- Tennessee's sales tax applies to groceries at the full rate (unlike many states that exempt or reduce taxes on food), meaning low-income families may pay a larger percentage of their income to sales taxes than middle-income families pay in state income tax in progressive-tax states.
What People Get Wrong
“No state income tax means Tennessee doesn't tax my investment income.”
Tennessee taxes dividends and interest at 1%, which primarily affects retirees and high-net-worth individuals with significant investment portfolios. While lower than an income tax, it's not zero for all income types.
“All zero-tax states are the same financially.”
Tennessee's 7% base sales tax (plus local additions) creates a different financial profile than zero-tax states like Texas (property tax heavy) or Nevada (gaming/tourism revenue). Your spending patterns determine which zero-tax state structure benefits you most.
“I'll automatically save thousands by moving to Tennessee from a high-tax state.”
The savings depend on income level and spending. High earners with low spending save significantly, but a low-earner who spends most of their income on taxable goods may pay more in sales tax than they'd pay in income tax in a progressive state with low brackets.