High Sales Tax States Cluster in Southeast

Many of the highest average state and local sales tax rates are found in the Southeast, according to a midyear report from the Tax Foundation.

Louisiana has the highest average combined state and local sales tax rate, at 9.99 percent. Tennessee follows at 9.45 percent, Arkansas at 9.30 percent, and Alabama at 8.97 percent. Washington is the only non-Southeastern state in the top five, with 8.92 percent.

The lowest rates were more scattered: Alaska was lowest at 1.78 percent, followed by Hawaii (4.35 percent), Wisconsin (5.41 percent), Wyoming (5.42 percent), and Maine (5.5 percent).

A total of 45 states and the District of Columbia collect statewide sales taxes, and local sales taxes are collected in 38 states. The five states that don’t collect state sales taxes are Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon.

A map of combined sales tax rates is available on the Tax Foundation Web site

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