Tax

How much tax do you pay in a lifetime?

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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

Accounting Today_How much does the average American pay in taxes over a lifetime_20.jpg
Florida ranks 42nd for states that pay the most in taxes.
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Arkansas ranks 43rd for states that pay the most in taxes.
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Louisiana ranks 44th for states that pay the most in taxes.
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Delaware ranks 45th for states that pay the most in taxes.
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Wyoming ranks 46th for states that pay the most in taxes.
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Tennessee ranks 47th for states that pay the most in taxes.
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South Carolina ranks 48th for states that pay the most in taxes.
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New Mexico ranks 49th for states that pay the most in taxes.
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West Virginia ranks 50th for states that pay the most in taxes.
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Mississippi ranks 51st for states that pay the most in taxes.
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Maryland ranks 10th for states that pay the most in taxes.
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California ranks 9th for states that pay the most in taxes.
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New Hampshire ranks 8th for states that pay the most in taxes.
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Vermont ranks 7th for states that pay the most in taxes.
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Rhode Island ranks 6th for states that pay the most in taxes.
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Illinois ranks 5th for states that pay the most in taxes.
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New York ranks 4th for states that pay the most in taxes.
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Massachusetts ranks 3rd for states that pay the most in taxes.
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Connecticut ranks 2nd for states that pay the most in taxes.
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New Jersey ranks 1st for states that pay the most in taxes.
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