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The average American will pay $497,804 in total taxes over a lifetime, but the exact amount can be much higher in certain parts of the country. QuickBooks consultants Dancing Numbers recently compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine which states pay the most in taxes, as well as the least.
The total lifetime tax amount of a New Jersey resident ($755,493) is more than double the amount that a resident of Mississippi ($343,885) will pay over a lifetime.
Of the 10 states with the largest lifetime tax totals, seven are in the Northeast, while eight of the 10 states with the smallest lifetime tax total are in the southern part of the United States.
Read more about how much the average American will pay in taxes over a lifetime.
Source: Dancing Numbers
States paying the least total lifetime tax
Rank | State | Total lifetime tax | Lifetime total income tax | Lifetime total property tax | Lifetime total expenditure tax | Lifetime total car tax |
42 | Florida | $408,164 | $248,535 | $104,448 | $48,300 | $6,882 |
43 | Arkansas | $404,791 | $292,005 | $40,350 | $64,980 | $7,456 |
44 | Louisiana | $401,250 | $283,905 | $46,545 | $65,696 | $5,104 |
45 | Delaware | $395,216 | $327,690 | $67,526 | $0 | $0 |
46 | Wyoming | $391,531 | $283,050 | $66,452 | $37,441 | $4,588 |
47 | Tennessee | $391,245 | $260,685 | $56,829 | $65,703 | $8,029 |
48 | South Carolina | $382,668 | $276,390 | $48,941 | $51,603 | $5,737 |
49 | New Mexico | $374,157 | $249,615 | $67,649 | $52,305 | $4,588 |
50 | West Virginia | $372,937 | $286,965 | $33,907 | $45,183 | $6,882 |
51 | Mississippi | $343,885 | $241,605 | $47,949 | $48,596 | $5,735 |
States paying the most total lifetime tax
Rank | State | Total lifetime tax | Lifetime total income tax | Lifetime total property tax | Lifetime total expenditure tax | Lifetime total car tax |
10 | Maryland | $594,580 | $153,270 | $155,990 | $41,288 | $6,882 |
9 | California | $597,377 | $142,065 | $199,520 | $60,906 | $8,316 |
8 | New Hampshire | $605,992 | $178,695 | $256,432 | $0 | $0 |
7 | Vermont | $611,358 | $159,120 | $197,703 | $43,758 | $6,882 |
6 | Rhode Island | $613,137 | $155,430 | $195,184 | $48,169 | $8,029 |
5 | Illinois | $644,778 | $139,140 | $202,866 | $60,817 | $8,316 |
4 | New York | $674,663 | $136,215 | $255,234 | $58,711 | $4,588 |
3 | Massachusetts | $679,404 | $400,590 | $228,637 | $43,008 | $7,169 |
2 | Connecticut | $686,655 | $380,070 | $255,606 | $43,696 | $7,283 |
1 | New Jersey | $755,493 | $335,025 | $367,446 | $45,423 | $7,599 |