How Paychecks of the Lower Middle Class Would Look in Each State If Trump Ends Federal Income Tax

President Trump has frequently mused that he might abolish the federal income tax in the U.S. 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.

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.

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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%

• 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.