Home › Retirement Research › State tax on a $1M gain
Hans GoldsteinBy Hans Goldstein, Founder, Retirement Literacy Foundation. He is also a licensed California insurance producer (#4273294). Education, not a product recommendation.
Published · Methodology dated October 7, 2026
Key finding

The same $1 million long-term gain owes $0 in state income tax in 9 states and $103,135 in California, the highest. 18 states take $50,000 or more. The median among states that tax the gain is $49,152.

Short answer

We computed the 2026 state income tax on one fact pattern in all 50 states and the District of Columbia: a resident single filer sells a stock or rental property held more than a year for a $1,000,000 long-term gain and has no other income. Each figure comes from that state's own 2026 rates (or the latest published schedule, flagged) and its own capital gain rules.

The answer runs from $0 in 9 states (Alaska, Florida, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wyoming) to $103,135 in California. The median among the states that tax the gain is $49,152.

The 15 highest state tax bills on a $1 million long-term gain, 2026
California$103,135Oregon$96,955Minnesota$92,504District of Columbia$90,062Vermont$80,255Maryland$78,172New Jersey$74,484Maine$70,980Hawaii$70,956Connecticut$69,850New York$67,952Delaware$64,659Rhode Island$56,768Virginia$56,686New Mexico$55,261
Estimated state income tax, resident single filer, no other income. Gold bar: California. Source: each state revenue agency, compiled by the Retirement Literacy Foundation. Download the data (CSV)

All 50 states and DC

#StateEst. tax on $1M gainEffective rateHow the gain is taxed
1California$103,13510.31%Capital gains taxed as ordinary income (no preferential rate). 1% Behavioral (formerly Mental) Health Services Tax on taxable income over $1,000,000.
2Oregon$96,9559.7%Capital gains taxed as ordinary income at up to 9.9%; federal tax subtraction phases to $0 above $145k AGI; exemption credit unavailable above $100k AGI.
3Minnesota$92,5049.25%Capital gains taxed as ordinary income (top 9.85%); standard deduction cut 80% when AGI > $1M-type thresholds; 1% NIIT on net investment income over $1,000,000.
4District of Columbia$90,0629.01%Capital gains taxed as ordinary income; 9.75% from $500k to $1M, 10.75% over $1M.
5Vermont$80,2558.03%Capital gains taxed as ordinary income after a small exclusion: flat $5,000 (stock), or 40% up to $350,000 for eligible non-publicly-traded assets held >3 years (e.g. rental real estate).
6Maryland$78,1727.82%Graduated state rates up to 6.25% ($500K-$1M) and 6.5% (over $1M) for single filers, plus, from 2025, an extra 2% tax on ALL net capital gain once federal AGI exceeds $350,000. County/Baltimore City income tax of 2.25%-3.30% comes on top (excluded).
7New Jersey$74,4847.45%Capital gains taxed as ordinary income; no standard deduction; $1,000 personal exemption; 10.75% applies over $1M.
8Maine$70,9807.1%Graduated 5.8%/6.75%/7.15% on Maine taxable income (starts from federal AGI). At $1M of income both the standard deduction and the personal exemption are fully phased out. A new 2% surcharge applies from 2026 only to taxable income above $1,000,000 (single), so it just misses this case.
9Hawaii$70,9567.1%Alternative capital gains tax caps net capital gain at 7.25% (N-11 Tax on Capital Gains Worksheet); first $24,000 of taxable income taxed at regular rates.
10Connecticut$69,8506.98%Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income on graduated rates (2% to 6.99%). At $1M AGI, the personal exemption and credit are gone, and the 2% phase-out add-back plus tax recapture push the result to almost a flat 6.99% on everything.
11New York$67,9526.8%Capital gains taxed as ordinary income; tax benefit recapture means at $1M NYAGI the whole taxable income is taxed at a flat 6.85%.
12Delaware$64,6596.47%Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income on graduated rates up to 6.6% over $60,000, starting from federal AGI.
13Rhode Island$56,7685.68%Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income, top rate 5.99%. The standard deduction and exemption phase out completely above $290,800. The new 1% surtax on income over $1M starts in TY2027, so it does not apply in 2026.
14Virginia$56,6865.67%Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income; top rate 5.75% over $17,000. Standard deduction stays $8,750 single for TY2026 plus a $930 personal exemption.
15New Mexico$55,2615.53%Since 2025 the capital gains deduction is the greater of $2,500 of net capital gain or 40% of up to $1M of gain from the sale of a New Mexico business. For stock or rental property only the $2,500 applies; the rest is taxed up to 5.9%.
16Kansas$55,0005.5%Two brackets, 5.2% to $23,000 and 5.58% above (single), starting from federal AGI. No general capital gain preference.
17Idaho$51,8925.19%Flat 5.3% on Idaho taxable income above a small zero bracket. A 60% capital gains deduction exists only for Idaho-situs qualified property (mainly Idaho real property held 12+ months), not for stock.
18Washington$50,5405.05%No income tax. Separate capital gains excise tax: 7% of WA capital gains above the standard deduction, plus 2.9% on WA capital gains over $1,000,000 (from 2025). Real estate is exempt.
19Massachusetts$49,7804.98%Long-term gains (Part C) taxed at 5%; 4% surtax on total taxable income over $1,107,750 (TY2026).
20Illinois$49,5004.95%Flat 4.95% on Illinois base income (starts from federal AGI). No capital gain preference, and the personal exemption is lost when federal AGI exceeds $250,000 (single).
21Georgia$49,1524.92%Flat 4.99% for 2026 (HB 463, signed 5/11/2026, retroactive to 1/1/2026), with no capital gain preference. Starts from federal AGI less a $15,000 single standard deduction.
22Wisconsin$45,0744.51%Wisconsin excludes 30% of net long-term capital gain (60% for farm assets); the rest is taxed up to 7.65%. The standard deduction is zero at this income.
23West Virginia$44,9114.49%SB 392 (2026) cut all rates 5% retroactive to Jan 1, 2026; top rate 4.58% over $60,000. Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income with a $2,000 personal exemption.
24Nebraska$44,6204.46%Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income. The 2026 top rate is 4.55% (LB 754 phase-down; the third and fourth brackets are both 4.55% in 2026).
25Utah$44,5004.45%Flat 4.45% for TY2026 (SB 60, 2026, retroactive to Jan 1, 2026). Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income; the taxpayer tax credit is fully phased out at this income.
26Oklahoma$44,4544.45%HB 2764 cuts the top rate to 4.5% for TY2026 (0% on the first $3,750). Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income; the Oklahoma capital gain deduction applies only to Oklahoma-situs property held 5+ years or stock in an Oklahoma-headquartered company held 2+ years.
27Colorado$43,9564.4%Flat 4.4% on federal taxable income. For AGI over $300,000, the federal standard deduction above $1,000 must be added back starting in 2026. The capital gain subtraction now covers only farmers' agricultural land.
28Michigan$42,2494.22%Flat 4.25% for 2026 on Michigan taxable income (starts from federal AGI) after a $5,900 personal exemption. No capital gain preference. Some cities (e.g. Detroit 2.4%) add a city income tax that reaches residents' capital gains.
29Alabama$40,1364.01%Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income at 2%/4%/5%, but Alabama lets individuals deduct federal income tax paid, including the 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax, which significantly lowers the base on a large gain.
30Montana$39,8173.98%Montana taxable income starts from federal taxable income. Net long-term capital gains get their own lower rates: 3.0% on the first $47,500 (single, less other income) and 4.1% above, versus 4.7%/5.65% on ordinary income in 2026.
31North Carolina$39,3913.94%Flat 3.99% for tax years after 2025 (S.L. 2023-134). Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income after the $12,750 single standard deduction.
32Mississippi$39,2683.93%First $10,000 of taxable income is untaxed and the rest is taxed at 4.0% for 2026 (down from 4.4% in 2025). Starts from Mississippi gross income (no federal tie to the std deduction). No general capital gain preference.
33Iowa$37,3483.73%Flat 3.8% on Iowa taxable income, which starts from federal taxable income (so the federal standard deduction applies). Capital gain exclusion is limited to farm and certain 10-year business real property with material participation.
34Kentucky$34,8823.49%Flat 3.5% for 2026 (down from 4%) on Kentucky taxable income, starting from federal AGI, with a $3,360 standard deduction. No capital gain preference.
35Pennsylvania$30,7003.07%Flat 3.07% on all classes of income including net gains from the sale of property; no standard deduction or personal exemption.
36Louisiana$29,6142.96%Flat 3% from 2025 on Louisiana taxable income, starting from federal AGI, with an inflation-indexed standard deduction ($12,875 single for 2026). The deduction for federal income tax was repealed.
37Indiana$29,4702.95%Flat 2.95% state rate for 2026 on Indiana AGI (starts from federal AGI), with a $1,000 personal exemption. County income tax applies on top (excluded here).
38South Carolina$28,2102.82%SC allows a 44% deduction of net capital gain. Act 110 of 2026 (H. 4216) sets TY2026 rates at 1.99% under $30,000 and 5.21% above, starts from federal AGI and replaces the federal standard deduction with a SCIAD that phases out fully by $95,000 AGI.
39Ohio$27,1162.71%From TY2026 Ohio has a flat 2.75% tax on nonbusiness income above $26,050 (HB 96). Capital gains on stock or rental property are ordinary nonbusiness income; the personal exemption is lost at MAGI of $500,000 or more.
40Arizona$18,3481.83%Flat 2.5% tax. Arizona subtracts 25% of net long-term capital gain from assets acquired after December 31, 2011.
41Arkansas$18,3001.83%50% of net capital gain is exempt (and any net capital gain above $10M is fully exempt). The taxable half is taxed at a 2026 top rate of 3.7%, cut from 3.9% by Act 1 of the 2026 First Extraordinary Session.
42North Dakota$12,2541.23%ND starts from federal taxable income and excludes 40% of net long-term capital gain; the rest is taxed at 0%/1.95%/2.5%.
43Alaska$00.0%No individual income tax.
44Florida$00.0%No individual income tax (Fla. Const. art. VII, s. 5 prohibits it).
45Missouri$00.0%Missouri lets individuals subtract 100% of capital gains reported federally (HB 594 of 2025, Section 143.121 RSMo), so a $1M long-term gain owes $0 Missouri income tax. Ordinary income is still taxed up to 4.7%.
46Nevada$00.0%No personal income tax; the Nevada Constitution prohibits a state income tax.
47New Hampshire$00.0%No tax on wages or capital gains. The Interest and Dividends Tax (RSA 77) was repealed for taxable periods beginning on or after January 1, 2025, so a 2026 capital gain is untaxed.
48South Dakota$00.0%No personal income tax.
49Tennessee$00.0%No tax on capital gains or wages. The Hall income tax on interest and dividends was fully repealed for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2021.
50Texas$00.0%No personal income tax; the Texas Constitution (Art. 8, Sec. 24-a) prohibits a tax on individual net income including capital gains.
51Wyoming$00.0%No personal income tax.

Resident single filer, $1,000,000 long-term gain, no other income, tax year 2026. State income tax only; no local or federal tax. See methodology and the CSV for each state's flags and sources.

Why the bills differ so much

Timing and residency

States tax residents on gains from anywhere, and many tax nonresidents on in-state real estate. A move after a sale does not change the tax on that sale, and a move just before one is often examined closely. Timing, residency and the method of sale are worth reviewing with a tax professional before a contract is signed.

Related: the foundation's capital gains on a rental property sale guide and 2026 retirement tax numbers.

Methodology (dated October 7, 2026)

Scenario: resident single filer, under 65, $1,000,000 long-term capital gain on a non-residence asset held more than one year (stock or rental property), no other income, tax year 2026. We applied each state's own rate schedule for 2026 where published; where a state has not yet published 2026 indexed brackets we used its 2025 schedule and flagged it in the CSV. We applied each state's standard deduction or personal exemption at that income, any long-term gain exclusion or special rate, and any surtax. States that start from federal taxable income use the 2026 federal standard deduction. Washington is shown for a stock gain; a real estate gain is exempt from its excise tax. Local income taxes (for example New York City, Portland area, some Ohio and Pennsylvania cities, Maryland and Indiana counties) are excluded and noted. Federal tax, credits beyond the basic exemption, and alternative minimum taxes are excluded. Each state's sources are listed in the CSV.

Sources

  1. Alabama: Alabama Form 40 Booklet TY 2025 (Alabama Department of Revenue)
  2. Alabama: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 inflation adjustments, capital gain rate thresholds)
  3. Alaska: Alaska Department of Revenue, Tax Division (individual income tax not imposed)
  4. Arizona: A.R.S. 43-1022 Subtractions from Arizona gross income
  5. Arizona: A.R.S. 43-1041 Optional standard deduction
  6. Arkansas: Act 1 of 2026 First Extraordinary Session (HB1001), Arkansas General Assembly
  7. Arkansas: State of Arkansas Withholding Tax Formula Method, Effective 01/01/2026 (DFA)
  8. California: 2025 California Tax Rate Schedules (FTB)
  9. California: 2025 California Resident Income Tax Return Form 540 Booklet (FTB)
  10. Colorado: Colorado Individual Income Tax Guide (Colorado Department of Revenue)
  11. Colorado: Income Tax Topics: Colorado Capital Gain Subtraction (Colorado DOR)
  12. Connecticut: Form CT-1040 Instructions (Rev. 12/25), Tax Calculation Schedule and Tables A-E, CT Department of Revenue Services
  13. Connecticut: TPG-211, 2026 Withholding Calculation Rules (Rev. 12/25), CT DRS (mirror copy)
  14. Delaware: Delaware PIT-RES Instructions 2025 (Division of Revenue)
  15. Delaware: 2025 State Income Tax Table and 2025 State Income Tax Schedule (Division of Revenue)
  16. District of Columbia: DC Individual and Fiduciary Income Tax Rates (OTR)
  17. District of Columbia: 2025 D-40 Booklet (OTR)
  18. Florida: Florida Constitution, Article VII, Section 5 (Online Sunshine)
  19. Georgia: HB 463 (2026) as passed, Georgia Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act of 2026 (Office of the Governor, signed legislation)
  20. Georgia: Important Tax Updates: 2026 Income Tax Changes (Georgia Department of Revenue)
  21. Hawaii: Department of Taxation Announcement No. 2024-03 (Act 46 standard deduction and bracket changes)
  22. Hawaii: Tax Table For Taxable Years Beginning After December 31, 2024 (Schedule I)
  23. Idaho: Idaho Code 63-3024, Individuals' tax and tax on estates and trusts
  24. Idaho: Idaho Code 63-3022H, Deduction of capital gains
  25. Illinois: Illinois Department of Revenue, 2025 Form IL-1040 Instructions
  26. Illinois: Illinois Department of Revenue, 2026 Booklet IL-700-T, Illinois Withholding Tax Tables (effective January 1, 2026)
  27. Indiana: Indiana Department of Revenue, Departmental Notice #1 (effective Oct. 1, 2026)
  28. Indiana: Indiana Department of Revenue, Rates, Fees and Penalties
  29. Iowa: Iowa Department of Revenue, IDR Announces 2026 Individual Income Tax and Interest Rates (Oct. 21, 2025)
  30. Iowa: Iowa Code 2026, Section 422.5, Tax imposed
  31. Kansas: Kansas Department of Revenue, Notice 25-06, Decreases of Income and Privilege Tax Rates - Contingent on Revenue (October 2, 2025)
  32. Kansas: Kansas Department of Revenue, 2025 Kansas Individual Income Tax booklet (IP25)
  33. Kentucky: Kentucky Department of Revenue, 2026 Kentucky Withholding Tax Formula 42A003 (TCF)(10-2025)
  34. Kentucky: Kentucky Department of Revenue, Kentucky DOR Announces 2026 Standard Deduction (Sept. 4, 2025)
  35. Louisiana: Louisiana Department of Revenue, Individual Income Tax (rates)
  36. Louisiana: Louisiana Department of Revenue, Revenue Information Bulletin No. 26-005, Notice Concerning Updated Withholding Tables Effective January 2026
  37. Maine: Maine Revenue Services, 2026 Individual Income Tax Rates (revised May 20, 2026)
  38. Maine: Maine Revenue Services, 2026 Estimated Tax Worksheet Line 6b, Phaseout of Personal Exemption Deduction Amount Worksheet
  39. Maryland: Comptroller of Maryland, Technical Bulletin No. 58, Maryland Taxation of Individual Capital Gain Income (effective December 29, 2025)
  40. Maryland: Comptroller of Maryland, Tax Alert: Changes to Standard and Itemized Deductions and to State and Local Income Tax Rates from the 2025 Legislative Session (revised December 22, 2025)
  41. Massachusetts: Massachusetts 4% Surtax on Taxable Income (Mass DOR)
  42. Massachusetts: Tax Rates (Mass DOR)
  43. Michigan: Michigan Department of Treasury, State Individual Income Tax Rate for 2026 Tax Year Determined (April 15, 2026)
  44. Michigan: Michigan Department of Treasury, 2026 Michigan Income Tax Withholding Guide (Form 446)
  45. Minnesota: Tax Year 2026 Inflation-Adjusted Amounts in Minnesota Statutes (MN DOR)
  46. Minnesota: Minn. Stat. 290.0123 Standard Deduction (subd. 5 Deduction limited)
  47. Mississippi: Mississippi Department of Revenue, Withholding Income Tax Tables and Employer Instructions, Pub. 89-700 (revised 1/13/2026)
  48. Missouri: Missouri Department of Revenue, News Release: Missouri First State to Fully Exempt Capital Gains Tax (August 26, 2025)
  49. Missouri: Missouri Department of Revenue, FAQs - Capital Gains Subtraction (Section 143.121 RSMo)
  50. Montana: Montana Code Annotated 2025, 15-30-2103, Rate of tax -- net long-term capital gains -- definitions
  51. Montana: Montana Code Annotated 2025, 15-30-2101, Definitions (Montana taxable income = federal taxable income)
  52. Nebraska: 2026 Nebraska Tax Calculation Schedule for Individual Income Tax (draft 8/17/2026), Nebraska Department of Revenue
  53. Nebraska: 2026 Nebraska Individual Estimated Income Tax Payment Vouchers, Form 1040N-ES (standard deduction $8,850; $176 per personal exemption)
  54. Nevada: Constitution of the State of Nevada, Article 10, Section 1(9) (no income tax)
  55. New Hampshire: NH Department of Revenue Administration, Interest and Dividends Tax (repeal for periods beginning on or after Jan 1, 2025)
  56. New Jersey: 2025 NJ-1040 Instructions (Tax Rate Schedules, p.63)
  57. New Jersey: NJ Division of Taxation - NJ Income Tax Rates
  58. New Mexico: House Bill 252, 56th Legislature, 2nd Session 2024 (NMSA 7-2-7 rates for TY2025+)
  59. New Mexico: Instructions for 2025 PIT-1 New Mexico Personal Income Tax Return (capital gain deduction up to $2,500 or 40% of up to $1,000,000; line 12 federal standard deduction)
  60. New York: 2025 Instructions for Form IT-201 (Tax computation, NYAGI > $107,650)
  61. New York: NYS Withholding tax rate changes
  62. North Carolina: NCDOR Tax Rate Schedules (3.99% for taxable years after 2025, S.L. 2023-134)
  63. North Carolina: NCDOR NC Standard Deduction or NC Itemized Deductions
  64. North Dakota: 2026 Form ND-1ES Estimated Income Tax - Individuals (2026 Forms ND-1 and ND-EZ Tax Rate Schedules), ND Office of State Tax Commissioner
  65. North Dakota: N.D.C.C. Chapter 57-38 Income Tax (Section 57-38-01.33 40% long-term capital gain exclusion)
  66. Ohio: Ohio Revised Code 5747.02 Tax rates
  67. Ohio: Ohio Revised Code 5747.025 Personal exemption amounts
  68. Oklahoma: Enrolled House Bill 2764 (2025), Oklahoma Legislature
  69. Oklahoma: Oklahoma Tax Commission 2025 Form 511 Resident Individual Income Tax Packet
  70. Oregon: Oregon Withholding Tax Formulas 2026, 150-206-436
  71. Oregon: 2025 Publication OR-17, Oregon Individual Income Tax Guide, 150-101-431
  72. Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, Personal Income Tax (3.07% rate, eight classes of income)
  73. Pennsylvania: 72 P.S. 7302 Imposition of tax (Tax Reform Code of 1971, Sec. 302)
  74. Rhode Island: RI Division of Taxation ADV 2025-22: Inflation-adjusted amounts set for Tax Year 2026
  75. Rhode Island: RI Division of Taxation: Summary of Legislative Changes 2026 (High-Income Surtax effective TY2027)
  76. South Carolina: Act No. 110 (H. 4216), 2025-2026 Session, South Carolina General Assembly
  77. South Carolina: SCDOR news: Information about H. 4216 (April 15, 2026)
  78. South Dakota: South Dakota Department of Revenue, Individual taxes (no personal income tax)
  79. Tennessee: Tennessee Department of Revenue, Individual Income Tax (Hall tax repeal)
  80. Tennessee: Tennessee Constitution Art. II, Sec. 28 (prohibits tax on payroll/earned personal income)
  81. Texas: Texas Constitution Art. 8, Sec. 24-a (prohibition of personal income tax)
  82. Utah: S.B. 60 Income Tax Rate Amendments, 2026 General Session, State of Utah (enrolled)
  83. Utah: Utah Code 59-10-1018 Taxpayer tax credit (phaseout)
  84. Vermont: 2025 Form IN-111 Instructions (Vermont Tax Rate Schedules, standard deduction, exemptions, 3% minimum tax)
  85. Vermont: 2025 Schedule IN-153 Instructions, Capital Gains Exclusion
  86. Virginia: Virginia Tax: New Virginia Tax Laws (standard deduction $8,750 single for TY2026), July 7, 2026
  87. Virginia: Virginia Tax 2026 Legislative Summary
  88. Washington: Capital gains tax (WA DOR)
  89. Washington: Do you owe capital gains tax? Updated Amounts table (WA DOR)
  90. West Virginia: West Virginia Tax Division: 2026 Income Tax Rate Cut (SB 392, W. Va. Code 11-21-4j adjusted rates)
  91. West Virginia: W. Va. Code 11-21-16 Personal exemption ($2,000)
  92. Wisconsin: Wisconsin DOR 2026 Form 1-ES Instructions (2026 tax rate schedules, standard deduction, $700 exemption)
  93. Wisconsin: Wis. Stat. 71.05 Income computation (71.05(6)(b)9 capital gain exclusion)
  94. Wyoming: Wyoming Department of Revenue (no individual income tax)
Cite this research
Goldstein, H. (2026, October 7). State Tax on a $1 Million Capital Gain in 2026: All 50 States. Retirement Literacy Foundation. https://retirementliteracyfoundation.org/research/state-tax-on-a-1-million-gain-2026/

Journalists and educators may quote and chart these findings with a link to this page. Data: download the CSV.

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