Which states tax Social Security in retirement
Only 8 states still tax Social Security benefits in 2026, and every one of them exempts a large share of retirees through income thresholds or age rules. The other 42 states and DC don't tax benefits at all. This page covers benefits specifically — pension and 401(k) withdrawals are taxed differently and vary by income, age and account type, so check the state's own rules before relying on a single label.
States that still tax Social Security (8)
All eight apply income thresholds or age rules, so many retirees in these states owe nothing on their benefits. Treat this as "check the limits", not "avoid the state".
| State | Social Security | Metros on this site |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Taxes benefits (with thresholds) | 5 |
| Connecticut | Taxes benefits (with thresholds) | 4 |
| Minnesota | Taxes benefits (with thresholds) | 2 |
| Montana | Taxes benefits (with thresholds) | — |
| New Mexico | Taxes benefits (with thresholds) | 1 |
| Rhode Island | Taxes benefits (with thresholds) | 1 |
| Utah | Taxes benefits (with thresholds) | 3 |
| Vermont | Taxes benefits (with thresholds) | — |
States with no income tax at all (9)
Nothing in retirement is taxed at the state level here — benefits, pensions and withdrawals alike.
| State | Social Security | Metros on this site |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | No state income tax | 1 |
| Florida | No state income tax | 16 |
| Nevada | No state income tax | 2 |
| New Hampshire | No state income tax | 1 |
| South Dakota | No state income tax | 1 |
| Tennessee | No state income tax | 6 |
| Texas | No state income tax | 17 |
| Washington | No state income tax | 6 |
| Wyoming | No state income tax | — |
States with an income tax that exempt Social Security
These states tax wages but leave Social Security benefits alone. Pension and 401(k) treatment still varies — see the state's own rules.
| State | Social Security | Metros on this site |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 6 |
| Arizona | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 3 |
| Arkansas | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 3 |
| California | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 19 |
| Delaware | Has income tax, exempts benefits | — |
| District of Columbia | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 1 |
| Georgia | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 4 |
| Hawaii | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 1 |
| Idaho | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 1 |
| Illinois | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 3 |
| Indiana | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 4 |
| Iowa | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 3 |
| Kansas | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 1 |
| Kentucky | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 2 |
| Louisiana | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 4 |
| Maine | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 1 |
| Maryland | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 3 |
| Massachusetts | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 3 |
| Michigan | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 6 |
| Mississippi | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 2 |
| Missouri | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 3 |
| Nebraska | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 2 |
| New Jersey | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 2 |
| New York | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 8 |
| North Carolina | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 9 |
| North Dakota | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 1 |
| Ohio | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 8 |
| Oklahoma | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 2 |
| Oregon | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 3 |
| Pennsylvania | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 9 |
| South Carolina | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 5 |
| Virginia | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 4 |
| West Virginia | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 2 |
| Wisconsin | Has income tax, exempts benefits | 4 |
States that stopped taxing benefits recently
Guides published even a year or two ago often still list these as taxing states, which is a common way retirees rule out a state that would now cost them nothing.
What this page does not cover
Pension income, 401(k) and IRA withdrawals, and military or railroad retirement are each treated differently, and several states that exempt Social Security still tax the rest. Those rules turn on income, age, filing status and account type, so a one-line-per-state answer would mislead more than it helps. Every metro page on this site shows its state's Social Security treatment alongside income, sales and property tax.