Taxes
rankings by state.
Sales tax rates, property taxes and state tax collections per person, with a guide to the states that levy no income tax.
State distributions: each mark is one state, from lowest to highest. Each row uses its own scale.
Median property taxes paid
2024 · Census ACS
Property tax rates by state
2024 · Census ACS
Sales tax by state
October 23, 2026 · State revenue departments
State taxes per person
Fiscal year 2025 · Census STC
A tax bill and a tax rate answer different questions
The state sales tax rate is a legal rate set by each state; local sales taxes often add more. State tax collections per person add up every tax the state government collects, but leave out local taxes. Median property taxes paid is the typical annual bill owners report. It rises with home values, so a state with modest rates and expensive homes can have high bills. The effective rate divides the median bill by the median home value, which puts states with different home prices on the same footing. Neither is a legal rate: local governments set rates, assessments and exemptions, and those vary within every state. Property taxes on rented homes are paid by landlords and are not included.
Use the effective rate to compare how heavily homes are taxed relative to their value, and the median bill to compare what owners actually pay. For income taxes, read which states levy no income tax and what they tax instead. A low tax in one category does not mean a low tax burden overall.
Choose the measure that answers your question
| Measure | What it counts | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Median property taxes paid | The median amount of real estate taxes paid in a year on owner-occupied homes, as reported by owners in the American Community Survey. | 2024 · Census ACS |
| Effective property tax rate | Median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value, for owner-occupied homes. A rate of 1% means the typical annual tax bill is about 1% of the typical home’s value. | 2024 · Census ACS |
| State sales tax rate | The general statewide sales tax rate in effect on October 23, 2026. For California, Utah and Virginia, it includes the local add-on that applies in every part of the state. | October 23, 2026 · State revenue departments |
| State tax collections per person | Taxes collected by the state government in fiscal year 2025, divided by the state’s July 1, 2025 population: income, sales, property, excise, severance and all other state taxes. | Fiscal year 2025 · Census STC |
The linked pages retain exact source precision for ranks, show true ties, and display uncertainty where it is available. The comparison tool lets you inspect selected states without changing their rank among the full 50-state universe. Shared comparisons preserve their data edition.
Each ranking covers all 50 states using a consistent source release. DC and Puerto Rico are labeled reference jurisdictions. Compare point estimates alongside margins of error; a rank is not a judgment about a state or its residents.