The most taxed states in America

Hawaii and New York have the highest tax burdens out of all US states, both exceeding 12% of income

The term "tax burden" in this case refers to property, income, sales, and excise taxes as a share of total personal income. Alaska and New Hampshire have the lowest total tax burdens in the US, both falling below 6%.

States with the highest (and lowest) tax rates

WalletHub researchers evaluated not just income taxes but real estate, sales, and other levies in order to rank every state by its total effective local and state tax rate (not including federal). Alaska scored the lowest total tax rate and Illinois...

See how the income taxes in the US compare to other countries

The US's highest marginal income tax rate is 37%. That rate is compared to other countries' both in a map and accompanying chart. Denmark has the highest rate at nearly 56%, while a handful of countries don't use marginal taxes at all. In the Middle East, many countries count on oil and gas to finance their governments.

What America's 1% pays in taxes, by state

In the US, the top 1% of earners contribute 45% of all personal income taxes collected nationwide. But not all states are created equal when it comes to income tax. Some states are more dependent on the 1% than others for tax revenue. SmartAsset recently examined IRS tax return data to determine exactly how much the top 1% of earners in each state paid in taxes. Find your state here.

Map of each state's largest tax revenue source

While America’s federal government primarily raises revenue through personal and corporate income taxes, it's a different story for each of the 50 states. This map shows how every state raises tax revenue for government activities. New York and California, for instance, raise most of that money through personal income taxes, whereas Texas and Florida have sales tax as their largest sources of tax revenue. Click here to see the map.

See which age group pays the most in taxes each year

Americans between 45 and 55 pay nearly 30% of all income taxes, bearing the largest share of tax burden in the country. These taxpayers pay an average tax rate of around 17%.

The hardest US states to save money in, mapped

According to data from Bankrate, Tennessee ranks as the easiest state in the US to save money, while Hawaii is the most difficult for those attempting to build a savings fund. This map of the US shows where all the states rank in-between. Some may surprise you. See the map here.

States with the most million-dollar homes

As of 2024, the US has 621 cities where a typical home costs $1M or more. California has more million-dollar cities than any other state by a long shot, with 218. New York comes in second with 76. Want to see where other states rank? Check out this map to learn more.

Read why some states are considering imposing a flat tax rate that isn't adjusted by income

Wisconsin was the first US state to impose a state income tax, close in time to when the federal income tax went into effect. Many states followed suit, but nine states to this day still don't levy wage-related taxes.

Only 5 states have inheritance taxes

Unlike estate taxes, inheritance taxes paid by the beneficiary of the estate (the person who inherits the deceased person's financial assets). The federal government doesn't levy an inheritance tax, but five states do. They all have varying tax rates and rules.

Visualizing US state taxes in seven charts

Ever wondered how your state’s tax system compares to others? Here’s an overview of the US state tax system based on seven visualizations.

Poverty rates by US state

As of 2022, 37.9 million people in the US were living in poverty. But those people aren't evenly distributed among the 50 states. Some states and regions of the country are more impoverished than others. For instance, US poverty rates are relatively higher in the South than they are in the North. See the state-by-state breakdown with this map.

The countries with the highest wealth per person, ranked

When looking at countries with the highest average wealth per person, the United States comes in at number three (with $564,862 per person). But the US doesn't even make the top 10 when looking at the median wealth per person rather than the average, which is perhaps a more accurate version of the data. Explore the numbers here.

How much Americans spend on groceries by state

You've probably heard that the price of groceries has gone up across the US in the past few years—but do you know what the average American household is currently paying for their weekly grocery bill? That answer differs state-by-state: For instance, households in Alaska and Hawaii have the largest average weekly grocery bills at $329 and $334, respectively, partly due to shipping costs. See a map showing the averages in each state here.

Before the 16th Amendment, US tax law required direct taxes to be directly apportioned to a state's population

Due to these requirements, the federal government could not impose many direct taxes. Direct taxes include property and income taxes, whereas indirect taxes include duties and excises.

Hawaii is the only US state with no incorporated municipalities

Unlike every other state, Hawaii has no cities or towns. Its four county governments manage all local services—the functions that municipalities provide elsewhere in the US—across the entire state.

See how income levels have changed in each state since 2010

Since 2010, the median household income has increased by 22% on average. Montana, the state with the largest growth rate, saw a 42.9% increase, while New Mexico saw the lowest income growth rate at 2.3%.

America's top 100 universities, ranked by tuition​.

What school has the highest tuition in America? From Columbia to Ohio State, we rank college tuition across the top schools in the country.

US cities where inflation is rising the most

WalletHub compared 22 major metropolitan areas to see how inflation has risen in the last year using the Consumer Price Index, which describes the average cost of a basket of goods. As of April 2024, Honolulu, Hawaii, clocked in with the greatest year-over-year change in prices, with inflation close to 5%. See the full list here.

Most Americans take the standard tax deduction

A tax deductible is an expense that a taxpayer or business can subtract from adjusted gross income, reducing their taxable income and therefore reducing the amount of taxes owed. Governments often use tax deductibles as a way to reward people who do things that are considered beneficial to society, like charitable donations.

Check out America's happiest places to live

Where are the best overall places to live in the US? This list focused on finding the happiest towns in America, given the ongoing reconsideration of how people want to live and work in the post-pandemic world. The selection process involved...

Student loan debt differs from state to state

Washington, DC, has the highest average federal student loan debt in the country at $54,795 per borrower. North Dakota has the country's lowest average at $29,647 per borrower.

Calculate how much of your tax dollars go to each federal program based on your income, filing status, and number of children

How popular are America's billionaires?

The US has more billionaires than any other country, and they are a mix of media moguls, entrepreneurs, and entertainers. This list ranks the 10 richest Americans by their popularity. The oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett, ranks highest in favorability at 52%, while Google cofounder Sergey Brin ranks lowest—likely because 72% of respondents didn't recognize his name.

See the incidence of Lyme disease across all 50 states in 2023

The US states with the highest rate of Lyme disease—meaning cases per 100,000 people—were Rhode Island, Vermont, and Maine, in 2023. Rhode Island had 260 cases per 100,000 people, based on cases reported to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

Nearly 70% of the US government’s debt is domestic

This includes intragovernmental holdings like the Social Security Trust Fund and investments from US citizens, banks, and mutual funds. About 30% is foreign-held, with countries like Japan and China as major creditors, investing in US Treasury securities due to their perceived safety.

44% of Americans say they pray at least once a day—discover how your state's religiosity stacks up against the rest of the country.

The United States is one of only around two dozen countries with a fully federal system of government, in which power is divided between national and state governments.

The price of gas is a composite made up of several different factors, with the federal gas tax making up less than 20% of what drivers pay at the pump.

US consumers collectively owe more than $1T to credit card companies—almost as much as they owe in auto loans.

Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley' is infamous for having some of the highest industrial pollution, toxic air emissions, and cancer risks in the US.

The US dollar is the most widely circulated currency in the world, and is involved in nearly 90% of global transactions

View the ten deadliest tornadoes in US history.

See this overview of the firework rules across all 50 states, ranging from a complete ban on non-professional fireworks in Massachusetts to states with more lax rules like Indiana.

The US Constitution is widely regarded as the longest-standing written national constitution still in force—see how it has influenced rights worldwide.

In 2026, Finland was named the world's happiest country for the ninth consecutive year based on its wealth, social safety network, and high life expectancy, among other factors.

Despite being favored by 87% of Americans, Congress does not have term limits.

The United States has had a tumultuous relationship with Cuba since its 1959 revolution, highlighted by a nuclear crisis and a decades-long trade embargo.

The Nasdaq's 'Magnificent 7' companies are responsible for roughly 40% of the Nasdaq 100 index's gains, while the remaining 93 companies account for the other 60%.

The American Society of Civil Engineers' infrastructure report card gave the US a C in 2025, its highest grade since the project launched in 1998.

Explore fun facts from the USPS, including unique post office buildings, a stamp that traveled past Pluto, and more.

Explore an interactive map of battles from the American Revolution, along with detailed summaries of each engagement

The boiling temperature of water decreases with increasing elevation because the molecules need less energy to overcome the lower atmospheric pressure associated with thinner air.

Art theft is the third-largest source of criminal revenues worldwide, thanks in part to the subjective nature of valuing a work of art.

Animal phobias are likely the most common type of phobias, followed by an extreme fear of heights.

The American cockroach is actually from Africa, an apparent hitchhiker aboard ships carrying enslaved people, with evidence suggesting the bug may have arrived in the New World as early as the 1600s.

One of the most famous portraits ever taken is 'Afghan Girl' (1984) by Steve McCurry, yet the subject Sharbat Gula went much of her life without being identified or benefitting from the image's success.

'Shogun,' a 1980s TV series, helped popularize sushi in the US by stimulating an American interest in Japanese culture.

Alzheimer's can lead to brain shrinkage, with an average of around 2% of volume reduction per year

After her fellow cult members tried to kill her with an LSD-infused hamburger, one member of the Manson Family, the murderous cult led by Charles Manson, decided to testify against the group's leader.