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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Short answer: Montana’s individual income-tax comparison depends on the tax year and your facts. For 2025, Montana taxes ordinary taxable income at marginal rates of 4.7% and 5.9%. In 2026, the top ordinary-income rate falls to 5.4% and the lower-rate brackets become much wider. Idaho has a 5.3% rate after a small zero-rate amount in 2025, while North Dakota’s 2025 schedule ranges from 0% to 2.50%. A North Dakota comparison dated 2022 lists South Dakota and Wyoming as having no state individual income tax, but that is historical context rather than a fresh current-law verification.
Those percentages are not a personal tax bill. Your filing status, state taxable income, income type, residency, work location, deductions, credits and other state or local taxes can change the result.
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What the comparison actually measures
This is a comparison of individual state income-tax structures, not a ranking of total tax burdens. Each state’s rate applies to its own definition of taxable income. Gross wages, federal adjusted gross income and state taxable income are not automatically the same amount.
A marginal rate applies only to the next dollar within a bracket. If a schedule has a 4.7% bracket followed by a 5.9% bracket, crossing the threshold does not make every dollar taxable at 5.9%. The dollars below the threshold retain the lower rate. Your effective state rate is therefore usually lower than your highest marginal rate.
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The figures below also cover different tax years. Montana’s 2025 and 2026 schedules are not interchangeable, and the Idaho and North Dakota figures supplied here are for 2025. The South Dakota and Wyoming classification comes from a 2022 comparison. A sound decision starts by matching the same tax year wherever possible.
Rate snapshot by state and tax year
| State | Tax year and source | Ordinary individual income-tax structure | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 2025, Montana Department of Revenue | 4.7% on the first $21,100 for single or married filing separately; $42,200 for married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse; or $31,700 for head of household. Income above the applicable threshold is taxed at 5.9%. | Marginal rates on Montana ordinary taxable income; net long-term capital gains are excluded from this description. |
| Montana | 2026, Montana Department of Revenue | 4.7% up to $65,000 for single or married filing separately; $130,000 for married filing jointly or qualifying surviving spouse; or $97,500 for head of household. Income above the applicable threshold is taxed at 5.4%. | Long-term capital gains use separate 3.0% and 4.1% rates, with brackets adjusted to the new ordinary-income ranges. |
| Idaho | 2025, Idaho State Tax Commission | 0% up to $4,811 for single filers or $9,622 for married filers, then 5.3% on Idaho taxable income above that amount. | The published schedule identifies single and married amounts; do not assume an unstated head-of-household threshold. |
| North Dakota | 2025, North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner | Single: 0% through $48,475, 1.95% through $244,825, then 2.50%. Joint: 0% through $80,975, 1.95% through $298,075, then 2.50%. | Thresholds vary by filing status; the table shows the single and joint examples published in the return booklet. |
| South Dakota | 2022 comparison | Listed as having no state income tax. | This classification is dated tax year 2022 and should be verified against current law before making a current-year decision. |
| Wyoming | 2022 comparison | Listed as having no state income tax. | This classification is dated tax year 2022 and should be verified against current law before making a current-year decision. |
Montana: compare 2025 with 2026, not just the headline rate
Montana tax year 2025
For 2025, Montana uses two marginal rates for ordinary income. The first 4.7% bracket ends at $21,100 for a single filer or someone filing married filing separately. It ends at $42,200 for married filing jointly or a qualifying surviving spouse, and at $31,700 for head-of-household filers. Ordinary taxable income above the applicable threshold is taxed at 5.9%.
These thresholds are filing-status-specific. Comparing a single person’s threshold with a joint return can make the same income appear to face a different rate structure when the difference is simply the size of the bracket. The amounts apply to Montana ordinary taxable income, not automatically to salary before deductions and adjustments.
Montana tax year 2026 changes
The Montana Department of Revenue says the 2026 ordinary-income schedule keeps the 4.7% lower rate but expands its range substantially. The threshold becomes $65,000 for single or married filing separately, $130,000 for married filing jointly or a qualifying surviving spouse, and $97,500 for head of household. Ordinary taxable income above those amounts is taxed at 5.4% rather than 5.9%.
That change matters in two separate ways: more ordinary income can remain in the lower bracket, and the upper marginal rate is lower. A person whose Montana taxable income is below the new threshold may never reach the 5.4% bracket at all. Someone above it still does not pay 5.4% on every dollar; only the amount above the applicable threshold receives that rate.
Montana long-term capital gains are separate
Do not apply the ordinary-income rates to every type of income. For 2026, Montana identifies separate long-term capital-gains rates of 3.0% and 4.1%, with the capital-gains brackets adjusted to match the new ordinary-income ranges. Net long-term gains therefore require a separate calculation from wages, interest and other ordinary income.
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The 2025 ordinary-income description likewise excludes net long-term capital gains. A comparison based only on the 4.7% and 5.9% ordinary brackets can be misleading for a household whose income includes substantial long-term gains.
Other 2026 Montana item to check
The Department of Revenue’s 2026 notice also identifies a Montana earned income tax credit equal to 20% of the federal earned income tax credit. That is a credit, not a lower marginal rate. Eligibility and the federal credit amount determine how much value it can provide, so it should be considered separately from the bracket table.
Idaho: a single 5.3% rate after a zero-rate amount in 2025
For tax year 2025, the Idaho State Tax Commission guide states a 5.3% rate on Idaho taxable income. The schedule shows a zero-rate amount up to $4,811 for single filers and $9,622 for married filers; taxable income above the applicable amount is taxed at 5.3%.
Calling Idaho simply a “5.3% state” hides the zero-rate portion and the fact that the rate applies to Idaho taxable income, not necessarily to gross pay. The published amounts also distinguish single and married filers. If your status is head of household or another category, use the applicable Idaho instructions rather than borrowing a threshold from another status.
Idaho’s filing guidance distinguishes residents, part-year residents and nonresidents with Idaho-source income. In some circumstances, a taxpayer may receive a credit for tax paid to another state. That credit can affect a multistate result even when the nominal Idaho rate is unchanged.
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North Dakota: low marginal rates with large filing-status thresholds
2025 North Dakota brackets
North Dakota’s 2025 individual schedule has three marginal bands: 0%, 1.95% and 2.50%. For a single filer, the 0% band runs through $48,475, the 1.95% band runs through $244,825, and income above that receives the 2.50% rate. For a joint filer, the corresponding thresholds are $80,975 and $298,075.
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| Filing status | 0% band through | 1.95% band through | Top marginal rate above |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $48,475 | $244,825 | 2.50% |
| Married filing jointly | $80,975 | $298,075 | 2.50% |
The return booklet indicates that thresholds depend on filing status. The single and joint figures above are examples from that booklet, not a universal threshold for every filer. North Dakota’s low percentages should also be read as marginal rates; they do not mean that a filer automatically owes 2.50% of gross income.
Residency and source rules in North Dakota
North Dakota residents are generally taxed on all income. Nonresidents are taxed on North Dakota-source income. A person who moved during the year, works across state lines or receives business, rental or investment income sourced to North Dakota may need a part-year or nonresident allocation rather than a simple resident return.
North Dakota identifies wage-income reciprocity agreements with Montana and Minnesota. Reciprocity is not a blanket exemption for every kind of income or every worker. Confirm that your wages, employer, work location and residency fit the agreement before withholding or filing decisions are made.
South Dakota and Wyoming: useful context, but the supplied comparison is from 2022
A North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner comparison for tax year 2022 lists South Dakota and Wyoming as having no state income tax. That is helpful historical context when considering the regional map, but it is not a newly verified 2026 rate check.
If a move, job change or property purchase depends on the absence of an individual income tax, verify the law for the tax year at issue and examine other taxes. “No state income tax” does not mean no state or local tax. Sales, property, excise and other charges can still affect cash flow, and this comparison does not establish which state has the lowest total household burden.
The personal details that can reverse a simple state ranking
1. Match the tax year
Start with the year of the return, not the year you happen to be reading an article. Montana’s 2026 thresholds and 5.4% upper rate cannot be compared as if they were Montana’s 2025 figures. Likewise, placing a 2025 Idaho or North Dakota rate beside a 2022 South Dakota or Wyoming classification creates a date mismatch. Label every rate in your worksheet.
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2. Use the correct filing status
Bracket widths change with filing status in Montana and North Dakota, and Idaho’s published zero-rate amounts differ for single and married filers. A joint return is not simply two single returns added together. Head-of-household status can also produce a different Montana threshold. Confirm the status you will use on the state return before comparing brackets.
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Rates apply to state taxable income after the state’s adjustments, deductions and exemptions, where applicable. Do not multiply a salary figure or household gross income by a headline rate and call the result tax. Build each state’s taxable-income figure using that state’s instructions, especially if you have retirement income, self-employment income, itemized deductions or income earned in more than one state.
4. Separate ordinary income from long-term gains
Montana’s ordinary-income rates and long-term capital-gains rates are different. Identify wages, interest, short-term gains and business income separately from net long-term capital gains. Mixing them into one total can apply the wrong Montana rate to part of the return.
5. Determine residency and source
A full-year resident may be taxed differently from a part-year resident or nonresident. North Dakota taxes residents on all income but nonresidents on North Dakota-source income. Idaho’s guide similarly distinguishes residents, part-year residents and nonresidents with Idaho-source income. Montana filing rules can also depend on where work was performed and how many days a nonresident worked in the state.
6. Check credits and taxes paid to another state
A credit for tax paid to another state can prevent the same income from being taxed twice, but the credit’s availability and limit depend on the states and income involved. Montana’s 20% federal earned income tax credit provision for 2026 is another example of why a rate-only comparison is incomplete. Credits reduce tax after the relevant calculation; they do not change the published marginal brackets.
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Remote and commuting arrangements make residency rules especially important. North Dakota’s reciprocity agreements with Montana and Minnesota concern wage income. They should not automatically be extended to self-employment receipts, investment income, rental income or other sources.
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Montana describes a narrow exception for some nonresidents who work in Montana for 30 days or less while working in multiple states. The exception is fact-specific. Keep a contemporaneous record of workdays, employer location, residence, assignments and withholding, and read the current Montana filing instructions before relying on it.
For a multistate employee, ask three separate questions: where you were a resident, where the work was physically performed, and whether a reciprocity or withholding rule changes the filing requirement. A state with a lower nominal rate can still require an additional return if its source rules reach part of your income.
A practical comparison worksheet
Use this sequence for your own preliminary comparison. It organizes the facts without pretending to calculate an individualized liability.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors- Identify the return year. Write “Montana 2025,” “Montana 2026,” “Idaho 2025” or the exact year for each state. Do not combine years in one conclusion.
- Record residency periods. Note whether you were a full-year resident, part-year resident or nonresident and the dates you lived or worked in each state.
- Choose filing status. Confirm single, married filing separately, married filing jointly, qualifying surviving spouse or head of household for each return.
- Classify income. Separate wages, business income, interest, dividends, short-term gains and net long-term capital gains. Mark the state source of each item.
- Calculate each state’s taxable-income base. Apply that state’s additions, subtractions, deductions and exemptions rather than copying federal taxable income automatically.
- Apply brackets marginally. Allocate income to each bracket in order. Never multiply the entire amount by the highest rate shown in the table.
- Apply credits and tax-paid-to-another-state relief. Check eligibility, limits and documentation requirements. Include Montana’s 2026 earned income credit only if you qualify for the underlying federal credit.
- Add non-income taxes separately. If the decision involves relocating, compare sales, property, local and other recurring taxes in a separate analysis. The income-tax table cannot answer that question.
- Document assumptions. Keep the tax year, filing status, income sources, workdays and source documents with your estimate so a changed fact does not silently change the result.
How to read a marginal-rate example without mistaking it for a tax estimate
Suppose a single Montana filer in 2025 has $30,000 of Montana ordinary taxable income before considering any credits. The first $21,100 falls in the 4.7% bracket and only the remaining $8,900 reaches the 5.9% bracket. This demonstrates bracket mechanics; it is not a final return calculation because actual deductions, adjustments, credits and other income classifications have not been applied.
The same discipline applies in 2026. A single filer with ordinary taxable income below $65,000 remains within Montana’s 4.7% ordinary-income range. Income above $65,000 reaches 5.4% only on the excess. If part of the return is net long-term capital gain, that portion must be tested against Montana’s separate 3.0% and 4.1% capital-gains rates instead.
Common comparison mistakes and how to correct them
- Using a current-sounding rate from an old table: Write the tax year beside every number; the South Dakota and Wyoming no-tax entries here are from 2022.
- Calling the top rate the effective rate: Explain that rates apply marginally to successive portions of taxable income.
- Using gross wages as the tax base: Rebuild the state’s taxable-income figure with that state’s rules.
- Ignoring filing status: Use the threshold for the actual return status, particularly in Montana and North Dakota.
- Combining ordinary income and capital gains: Montana’s long-term-gain rates are separate from ordinary-income rates.
- Assuming a move automatically lowers taxes: Domicile, days present, income sources, credits, deductions and other taxes can change the outcome.
- Applying reciprocity too broadly: Wage agreements do not automatically cover self-employment, rental or investment income.
- Treating no income tax as no tax: A state can lack an individual income tax while still imposing sales, property, excise or local taxes.
What this comparison can and cannot tell you
It can show how the published individual income-tax brackets differ: Montana’s 2025 two-rate structure, Montana’s wider 2026 lower bracket and lower upper rate, Idaho’s 2025 5.3% rate after its zero-rate amount, and North Dakota’s 2025 0%, 1.95% and 2.50% bands. It can also flag that South Dakota and Wyoming were listed as no-income-tax states in a 2022 comparison.
It cannot produce your final bill, determine domicile, resolve a multistate sourcing dispute or measure total household tax burden. Those questions require the applicable year’s state instructions and your complete facts. For a return involving multiple states, significant capital gains, business activity or a move during the year, professional tax advice may be appropriate.
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Compare the same tax year, the same filing status and each state’s taxable-income definition before drawing a conclusion. Montana is 4.7%/5.9% for ordinary income in 2025, changes to 4.7%/5.4% with much higher thresholds in 2026, and uses separate long-term capital-gains rates. Idaho’s 2025 schedule reaches 5.3% after a small zero-rate amount, while North Dakota’s 2025 marginal rates top out at 2.50%. The dated 2022 no-income-tax classification for South Dakota and Wyoming is a starting point for verification, not a substitute for current-law and whole-tax analysis.
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