Mississippi uses a flat state income tax of 4.0% in 2026 — the same rate applies to every dollar of taxable income, which makes your paycheck easy to predict. On a $75,000 salary, a single filer pays about $3,000 in state tax and takes home roughly $58,593 a year (about 78.1% of gross) after federal, state, and FICA withholding.

Mississippi's 4.0% rate is below the 4.8% average among states that tax wage income. Because the rate is flat, a raise never pushes part of your income into a higher state bracket — every extra dollar is taxed at the same 4.0%, unlike the federal system where higher earnings hit progressively higher brackets.

Remember that FICA is separate from income tax and is not affected by your state. Every worker pays 6.2% for Social Security on the first $184,500 of wages (the 2026 wage base) plus 1.45% for Medicare on all wages. Pre-tax 401(k) and HSA contributions lower your federal and state income tax but do not reduce FICA — a detail that trips up a lot of first-time budgeters.

Mississippi has moved to a flat income tax and enacted legislation putting the rate on a path of gradual annual reductions, with lawmakers openly aiming for eventual full elimination if revenue triggers are met. Combined with the lowest cost of living of any state, Mississippi paychecks stretch further than the raw salary suggests — though note the state still charges full sales tax on groceries, the highest grocery tax treatment in the nation.