California vs Washington — Tech Workers Take Note
Washington State is home to Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing and has zero state income tax. Many California tech workers move to Seattle to keep more of their high salaries. While Seattle rent is high it is still significantly cheaper than San Francisco or Los Angeles.
Key Differences
California has a 13.3% top income tax rate while Washington has none. However Washington has a higher sales tax than California at around 10% in Seattle versus 7.25% base rate in California. For high earners the income tax saving far outweighs the sales tax difference.
Best Cities in Washington for Californians
Seattle is the most popular destination with a booming tech job market. Bellevue and Redmond offer suburban alternatives with excellent schools. Spokane in eastern Washington offers a much lower cost of living for those who work remotely.