Last year, we counted down the top 10 major U.S. cities with the highest tax burdens based on a 2010 study by the Office of the CFO in Washington, D.C. (Tax Rates and Tax Burdens in the District of Columbia – A Nationwide Comparison). Bridgeport and Philly topped the list then, but how did they fare in the most recent study released using data from 2011?
While federal tax rates stay the same regardless of where the taxpayer lives, the same is not true for state and local taxes. The tax burden of taxpayers living in different parts of the United States varies due to differences in state and local income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes and automobile taxes. So how does your city stack up?
Drumroll please…
The top ten cities* with the highest tax burden for a hypothetical family of three making $50,000 in 2011:
#10 Boston, MA
Paul Revere made his famous midnight ride on horseback here — but today, trading in the horse for a car of your own would cost $303 in taxes per year. The total tax burden for our hypothetical family in Boston sits at 12.2%, or about $6,125 annually.
#9 Burlington, VT
Vermont’s largest city, home to the very first Ben & Jerry’s, was ranked by Forbes as one of the prettiest towns in America — and we’re sure its 42,500 residents agree. But at a 12.3% tax burden ($6,150 per year), it’s #9 on our list of the most taxed cities in America.
#8 Providence, RI
The city of Providence is known for its historic and cultural attractions; it was first settled in 1636 by Roger Williams and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies. As of the 2010 census, 178,042 people lived within the city of Providence — and our hypothetical family paid $6,034 in taxes in 2011. $3,876 was property tax alone.
#7 Louisville, KY
There’s much more to Louisville than just the Kentucky Derby, but while River City’s 741,096 residents enjoy the biggest party in the South, they’re probably not as keen on the 12.7% tax burden ($6,346).
#6 Chicago, IL
The 3rd most populous city in the US is the sixth most taxed. Whether they’re Cubs or Sox fans, our hypothetical family of three forks over $6,412 (12.8%) in taxes every year. That’s a lot of ballpark hot dogs.
#5 Los Angeles, CA
Though inhabitants of the City of Angels owe no income tax, sky-high property tax rates are responsible for the city’s #5 spot. Over $5,100 of our average family’s $6,634 tax bill is property tax.
#4 Columbus, OH
The capital of Ohio was named by BusinessWeek as the best place to raise a family in 2009 — and it’s home to five Fortune 500 companies, including the Limited Brands and Nationwide Mutual Insurance. 787,033 people lived here in 2010.
In 2011, our average family of three paid more than $7,200 in state and local taxes.
#3 Philadelphia, PA
This former temporary U.S. capital was home to over 1.5 million people in 2010.
In addition to its rich history and excellent cheesesteaks, Philadelphia also boasts one of the highest tax burdens in the nation. In 2010, a typical family of three would have paid $8,327, or nearly 17% of their income in various state and local taxes.
#2 Newark, NJ
New Jersey’s largest city sits 8 miles west of Manhattan (#14 on the list of most-taxed cities). Our $50K family of three would pay $8,327 per year in taxes, a whopping 18.3% of their household income.
#1 Bridgeport, CT
Connecticut’s largest city is one of NYC’s outlying suburbs, and an average family of three forks over a staggering 24.5% of their income to state & local taxes. That works out to about $12,250, over $10,000 of which is property tax alone.
Okay, so the Northeast is expensive. And for the record, the least-taxed cities on the list were Billings, MT (6.4%), New Orleans, LA (5.7%) and Cheyenne, WY (4.3%).
Check out the stats in our infographic below. And don’t forget: no matter where you live, there’s a good chance there’s an H&R Block nearby — call us for tax prep help!
Click image to see a larger version
The Top 10 Most Taxed Cities in America via H&R Block
*Report compares tax data from the largest city in each state.
Source: H&R Block
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