Total Tax Burden by State (2025)
Total tax burden measures all state and local taxes — income, property, sales, and excise — as a percentage of personal income. This gives the most complete picture of how much a state actually costs, beyond just income tax rates.
| Rank | State | Total Tax Burden |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 13.5% |
| 2 | New York | 13.0% |
| 3 | Connecticut | 12.8% |
| 4 | Hawaii | 12.2% |
| 5 | New Jersey | 12.2% |
| 6 | Minnesota | 12.1% |
| 7 | Illinois | 12.0% |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 11.5% |
| 9 | Maryland | 11.3% |
| 10 | Vermont | 11.1% |
| 11 | Maine | 11.0% |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 11.0% |
| 13 | Nebraska | 10.8% |
| 14 | Oregon | 10.8% |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 10.8% |
| 16 | West Virginia | 10.5% |
| 17 | Kansas | 10.3% |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | 10.3% |
| 19 | Virginia | 10.3% |
| 20 | Iowa | 10.2% |
| 21 | Ohio | 10.0% |
| 22 | Arkansas | 9.8% |
| 23 | Colorado | 9.8% |
| 24 | Kentucky | 9.6% |
| 25 | Utah | 9.6% |
| 26 | Idaho | 9.4% |
| 27 | Michigan | 9.4% |
| 28 | Georgia | 9.3% |
| 29 | Indiana | 9.3% |
| 30 | North Carolina | 9.1% |
| 31 | Louisiana | 9.0% |
| 32 | Missouri | 9.0% |
| 33 | New Mexico | 8.9% |
| 34 | North Dakota | 8.8% |
| 35 | Alabama | 8.7% |
| 36 | Arizona | 8.7% |
| 37 | Montana | 8.7% |
| 38 | Mississippi | 8.6% |
| 39 | Oklahoma | 8.6% |
| 40 | Delaware | 8.4% |
| 41 | South Carolina | 8.4% |
| 42 | Washington | 8.3% |
| 43 | South Dakota | 7.4% |
| 44 | New Hampshire | 6.8% |
| 45 | Texas | 6.7% |
| 46 | Nevada | 6.6% |
| 47 | Florida | 6.3% |
| 48 | Tennessee | 6.3% |
| 49 | Wyoming | 6.1% |
| 50 | Alaska | 4.6% |
Methodology
Rankings based on Tax Foundation analysis of Census Bureau data. Total tax burden is calculated as state and local tax collections divided by state personal income.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Total tax burden measures all state and local taxes — income, property, sales, and excise — as a percentage of personal income. It gives a more complete picture than looking at any single tax rate.
New York consistently ranks among the highest total tax burden states, with combined state and local taxes exceeding 12% of personal income.
Not necessarily. States without income tax often compensate with higher property taxes, sales taxes, or fees. Texas and New Hampshire, for example, have relatively high property taxes despite having no income tax.
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