Easy Seniors Club

At Easy Seniors Club, life starts at retirement!

  • Home
  • Expert Advice
  • Saving and Spending
  • Taxes
Home›Taxes›8 States With the Highest Taxes

8 States With the Highest Taxes

By Our Editorial Team  |  Published October 20, 2022

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp
highest, low, tax record

Expert Verified

Our editorial team verifies all financial and lifestyle information for accuracy and relevance to senior living.

Senior woman with tax documents looking out a window in a sunlit room.
A concerned senior woman crunches numbers on a calculator while reviewing tax forms, feeling the weight of high taxes.

Everybody hates high taxes!

It’s a fact that nobody likes paying taxes, especially if they have a lot to pay. For many people in our country, April 15th, or tax day, as it is usually called, is one of the most dreaded days of the year.

Each state in the United States sets its own income tax, property tax, and sales tax rates in addition to the federal government. As a result, the tax burden differs greatly amongst states. As of 2022, the three states with the highest tax burdens in the United States are California, Hawaii, and New York. Are you among those unlucky ones? Tell us in the comments!

Read on because we ranked some of the states that have the highest taxes, from most aggressively taxed to least.

highest
Photo by nodar77 From Envato Elements

1. California- the first state with the highest taxes

Your ability to pay your state and federal income taxes may be impacted by your personal income. Depending on your state of residence, method of income generation, and property ownership status, some of you reading this post may be experiencing a little bit more disappointment.

The total tax burden can differ significantly from state to state. Don’t envy those who are living in the states with no income tax because nobody gets out of living a tax-free life so easily! Researchers examined the 50 states’ property taxes, individual income taxes, and sales and excise taxes as a percentage of each state’s total personal income. They discovered a greater than seven percentage-point difference between the highest and lowest state tax rates.

Californians, unfortunately, have the highest taxes of any other state in America. Even if the property tax is pretty low compared to other states, California has the highest total state tax burden of any state due to the high housing prices there, with a median price of $475,900.00.

2. New York

It should not be shocking to list New York among the states with the highest taxes. Property values are high, which results in hefty property taxes. In New York, where earnings are high, and taxes are high, a large portion of the income is required to pay state income taxes. If you’re living in the metro area of the city, you will also see an additional 0.35% sales tax in order to support public transportation and transit.

Last but not least, the Empire State also receives income from its sales taxes. Are you from New York? How do you deal with the tax season?

3. New Jersey

One of the fastest population reductions in the country is currently occurring in New Jersey. While there are many reasons why people relocate, New Jersey’s high taxes are particularly burdensome for a lot of its citizens. The New Jersey’s median home price is $327,900, one of the highest in the country. The high home prices are combined with the highest state property tax rate in the country, which is around 2%.

So, where does that leave New Jersey when it comes to the highest taxes? Slightly behind New York, Maine, and Minnesota.

highest
Photo by Threetails05 From Envato Elements

4. Hawaii

“Oh, think twice, ’cause it’s another day for you and me in paradise.” Hawaii may be a paradise for some people, especially for tourists, but when it comes to taxes, you should know that it doesn’t stray too far from New York or California. It was actually decided that all individuals earning more than $200,000 per year would impose a 16% tax on their income. A lot of people believe that because it suffered a huge decline in tax revenue from tourism because of the pandemic, the government is looking for new sources of profit.

If you’re Hawaiian, you already know that the cost of living in this state is the highest in the nation. It has been established that Hawaii’s state budget per capita is around $12,896. That’s why a lot of people take into consideration the idea of relocating to another state.

What do you think? Do you agree that Hawaii is among the highest-taxed states?

5. Maine

While a lot of us claim that taxes in our states are huge and heavy to bear, a recent study shows that Maines’ tax burdens are among the heaviest. Maine was ranked fifth in the United States for having the highest taxes. The typical statewide property tax rate in the Pine Tree State is also higher than normal but not excessive. Additionally, Maine has an estate tax, which means more bad news, I’m afraid.

However, the state levies a comparatively low sales tax in an effort to make up for some of its other taxes. Only the state sales tax of 5.5% is required in Maine, one of the few states that forbid cities and towns from enacting their own municipal sales taxes. What wonderful news!

…psst! You might also want to check out THIS 

6. Vermont

Unfortunately, Vermonters pay a huge amount of money in taxes as well. Almost 10.3% of their income goes directly to the state’s “pockets” every year, putting it in the 6th position among the states with the highest taxes in the country. After every “tax season,” the state collects an average of $4,950 per taxpayer, about $2,000 more than is normal across all American states.

If you are considering relocating to Vermont, you should think twice because even though it is just across the Connecticut River from New Hampshire, Vermont is a totally different place. Additionally, Vermont has the fifth-highest statewide median property tax rate in the nation.

Are you from Vermont? How do you manage to survive after every tax season? Tell us in the comments.

highest
Photo by Mihai Andritoiu From Shutterstock

7. Rhode Island

Several New England states, including Rhode Island, are among those with the highest effective tax burdens. The state’s 7.0% sales tax, which is the second-highest sales tax rate among states, contributes to the high tax burden. In Rhode Island, there are also expensive property taxes.

Property taxes in Rhode Island are higher than in all but six other states, totaling the equivalent of $2,339 per person per year. Property taxes bring in the most money for the state, accounting for 43.2% of total revenue.

In an effort to promote economic growth, Rhode Island recently lowered corporation taxes. In the past ten years, corporations have received hundreds of millions of dollars in tax benefits, and now Rhode Island’s per capita corporate tax receipts are lower than the national average.

8. Connecticut

The tax load on Connecticut residents is the second highest in the nation and the highest of any state in New England. Every year, the state government collects $2,279 per person in income tax alone. The total amount of taxes collected by the state, including additional levies, amounts to $4,249 per person annually, which is significantly more than the $2,869 average for all states. Additionally, Connecticut residents pay a sizeable portion of their income in property taxes due to the state’s high, 16 % property tax rate.

Are you a resident of one of these states? If you and your family live in one of these states, your pockets know this by now. But taxes differ from one state to another, and those who live in a state with higher taxes benefit from other tax-related perks like no state income tax.
You might also like: 24 Sales Tax Holidays That Will Help You Save Money.

Stay Informed & Empowered

Get our weekly digest of financial tips, retirement updates, and expert advice for seniors delivered directly to your inbox.

One response to “8 States With the Highest Taxes”

  1. Mary MacGillivary says:
    November 15, 2022 at 8:17 pm

    Just moved to Vermont from NH where I sold my house. I am now renting a condo.. I will only be a resident of VT as of November 1.
    How will this affect my 2022 Taxes?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Most Popular

  • Aldi Store
    15 Aldi Shopping Tips From Super Savers That You Have to Try January 22, 2021
  • florida
    Planning to Retire in Florida? Here Are 10 Places to Avoid! March 3, 2023
  • COLA increase in 2024
    COLA Increase in 2026: Changes for Social Security Recipients November 21, 2025

Top Picks

  • An older couple sitting on a coastal porch at golden hour, enjoying a peaceful moment together.
    Here’s What Actually Happens to Your Social Security Check If You Wait to Claim Until 70 July 8, 2026
  • An older couple sitting on a sofa in a sunny living room, smiling as they look at a tablet together to plan a trip.
    Cheapest US Airlines in 2026 – Ranked July 8, 2026
  • An active senior couple walking briskly along a coastal path in Naples, Florida during sunrise.
    12 Retirement Towns That Promote a Healthy Lifestyle July 7, 2026

Newsletter

Get the latest posts delivered to your inbox.

Quick Links

  • Expert Advice
  • Saving and Spending
  • Taxes
  • Family Finance
  • Real Estate

Need Guidance?

Our editorial team publishes plain-language guides on Social Security, taxes, and retirement planning to help you make informed decisions.

Browse Expert Advice

Related Articles

tax refund

Why You Might Get a Bigger Tax Refund in 2025

A smiling woman uses her laptop at a sunlit table to discover how to maximize…

Read More →
pink tax, Tax Withholding

Rules for Tax Withholding on Distributions from Retirement Plans

Easy Seniors Club presents you: rules for tax withholding on distributions from retirement plans When…

Read More →
A senior couple sitting at a wooden table looking over tax documents together in a warm, naturally lit dining room.

The 2026 Senior Tax Deduction Explained—Could You Benefit?

Learn how the expanded 2026 standard deduction and the new $6,000 Senior Bonus Deduction can…

Read More →
Donald Trump and Social Security, Trump's inauguration

Could Trump’s Election Impact Social Security? Let’s Find Out!

Diverse seniors gather around a library table for a serious discussion about the future of…

Read More →
pink tax

The Pink Tax: How, When, and Why Women Paid More on Some Taxes

Have you been wondering about the pink tax and were wondering what it is? A…

Read More →
A sunlit desk with a calculator and blurred papers, symbolizing a senior planning their family's finances.

Will My Social Security be Taxed? A State-by-State Guide

Introduction: Navigating Taxes in Retirement For many Americans, retirement is a long-awaited reward for decades…

Read More →
Estate Planning Checklist taxes

7 Ways to Reduce Taxes on Your Withdrawals

Are you about to retire soon? Well, if that’s so, do you know how your…

Read More →
An older man in a navy sweater sits at a wooden table, thoughtfully studying a map of the United States with a pen in hand.

The States Quietly Taxing Social Security Benefits That Surprise New Retirees

Discover which 8 states still tax Social Security benefits in 2026 and learn strategic ways…

Read More →

Medicare Taxes and Retirement: 8 Things You Need to Know

A smiling woman reads a book at her sunlit table, enjoying the peaceful retirement lifestyle…

Read More →

Easy Seniors Club

At Easy Seniors Club, life starts at retirement!

Inedit Agency S.R.L.
Bucharest, Romania

contact@easyseniorsclub.com

Explore

  • Request to Know
  • Request to Delete
  • CA Private Policy

Categories

  • Banking
  • Business
  • Employment
  • Expert Advice
  • Family Finance
  • Health
  • Real Estate
  • Saving and Spending
  • Taxes
  • Technology

© 2026 Easy Seniors Club. All rights reserved.