What salary do I need moving from Washington to Texas?

About $66,200: that is what $75,000 earned in Seattle buys in Austin once local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities) are counted. The table above runs the same math for every anchor metro pair on this route.

How does the state income tax change from Washington to Texas?

Washington levies no state income tax on wages, and so does Texas. At $75,000 the state tax line is $0 in both states: on this route the money math is entirely prices. For the year of the move, both agencies' residency rules apply: Washington Department of Revenue and Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts are linked in the checklist above.

Which cost of living comparisons should I read for this move?

Start with the anchor metros: Seattle vs Austin, Seattle vs Dallas. Each compares prices, rent, and home values for that exact city pair.

How much cheaper is rent in Austin than Seattle?

Median rent runs about $1,998/month in Seattle versus $1,655/month in Austin (-17.2%). Rent gaps move differently from all-items prices; the compare pages list both.

Moving from Washington to Texas: The Salary You Need (2026)

A $75,000 salary in Seattle needs to be about $66,200 in Austin to keep pace with local prices. Taxes barely move in this move: the same $75,000 takes home exactly the same in Texas as in Washington - on this route the money math is prices, not taxes. Here is the full money math, plus the paperwork checklist that actually changes when you cross a state line.

The money math

What your salary needs to be

From (anchor metro)	To (anchor metro)	$75,000 becomes	Price gap
Seattle (RPP 111.1)	Austin (RPP 98.1)	$66,200	-11.8%
Seattle (RPP 111.1)	Dallas (RPP 103.1)	$69,600	-7.2%

Equivalent salary = $75,000 x destination RPP / origin RPP, using BEA Regional Price Parities (US average = 100) for the anchor metros of each state on this route. Rounded to the nearest $100.

Take-home pay at $75,000 in both states

State	Federal tax	FICA	State income tax	Take-home	Effective rate
Washington	$7,670	$5,738	$0	$61,592	17.9%
Texas	$7,670	$5,738	$0	$61,592	17.9%

Single filer, standard deduction, no 401(k) contributions, from the same 2026 engine that powers our paycheck calculators.

The state tax switch

Washington levies no state income tax on wages, and so does Texas. At $75,000 the state tax line is $0 in both states: on this route the money math is entirely prices.

What changes when you move

Three pieces of paperwork follow every Washington to Texas move. The deadlines are set by state law and they differ, so treat each agency’s own page as the source of truth:

State tax residency. The year you move you will generally file a part-year return in each state, splitting income by when you earned it. Give both agencies your move date: Washington Department of Revenue and Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
Payroll withholding. Update your address with payroll, refile your federal W-4, and drop the Washington state withholding form: Texas levies no state income tax on wages, so only federal withholding applies. The Texas paycheck calculator shows the new net pay.
Driver’s license and vehicle registration. Every state gives new residents a window, typically 30 to 60 days, to swap a license and plates. Check the current deadline at the Washington DOL and the Texas DMV.

The move itself is the one cost we quote no dollars for: it swings too far between a self-drive and a full-service interstate move to generalize. Whatever the quote, verify the mover before paying a deposit: Protect Your Move (FMCSA).

Where to go next

Method: price equivalence = $75,000 x destination RPP / origin RPP using BEA Regional Price Parities (US average = 100) for the anchor metros named on this page; figures rounded to the nearest $100. Take-home figures come from the same 2026 federal, FICA, and state income tax engine that powers our paycheck calculators: single filer, standard deduction, no pretax contributions. The cost of the move itself is deliberately qualitative: it swings too far between a self-drive and a full-service interstate move to quote responsibly.