US Sales Tax Calculator
Sales tax in the United States is set by state and local governments, not by the federal government, so the rate you pay depends on exactly where you are standing. Pick a state for a calculator pre-filled with that state's rate.
Rates by state
| State | State rate | Avg combined | Groceries |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 7.25% | 8.99% | Exempt |
| Florida | 6.00% | 6.98% | Exempt |
| Georgia | 4.00% | 7.49% | State-exempt, local tax may apply |
| Illinois | 6.25% | 8.96% | Reduced – local tax only |
| Michigan | 6.00% | 6.00% | Exempt |
| New York | 4.00% | 8.54% | Exempt |
| North Carolina | 4.75% | 7.00% | Reduced – about 2% county tax |
| Ohio | 5.75% | 7.29% | Exempt |
| Pennsylvania | 6.00% | 6.34% | Exempt |
| Texas | 6.25% | 8.20% | Exempt |
"Avg combined" is the population-weighted state plus local average. The state rate alone understates what you pay in states with heavy local taxation — New York is 4.00% state but 8.54% combined.
How US sales tax works
There is no national sales tax. States set a base rate, and local jurisdictions — counties, cities, transit districts and special districts — layer their own rates on top. Some states, such as Michigan, allow no local sales tax at all; others, such as Illinois and California, allow so much that the city matters more than the state.
Five states impose no statewide sales tax at all: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon. Alaska still lets local governments charge one.
What is taxed also varies. Most states exempt groceries and prescription drugs, but some tax them at a reduced rate, and a few — Pennsylvania, and New York below a threshold — exempt clothing that nearly everybody else taxes.
Rate data: Tax Foundation, "State and Local Sales Tax Rates" (data as of January 1, 2026), and Wikipedia, "Sales taxes in the United States". Data as of January 2026. Not tax advice.