Sales tax isn't a single US rate — it's 50 different systems, and the gap between the highest and lowest is bigger than most shoppers realize.
Sales tax by state calculator, the extremes
Using 2026's population-weighted combined rates: Louisiana tops the list at 10.13%, followed by Tennessee (9.61%) and Washington (9.57%). On the other end, Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon charge no statewide sales tax at all — a $100 purchase costs $100 flat in Delaware, and $110.13 in Louisiana.
State and local sales tax calculator, why "state rate" isn't the full picture
California has the highest single state rate at 7.25%, but its combined rate with local taxes lands at 9.03% — meaning the state rate alone understates what you'll actually pay at checkout in most places. This calculator defaults to the combined average but lets you switch to state-only or a custom local rate if you know your exact county rate.
How much is sales tax in my state, the Alaska exception
Alaska has no statewide sales tax, but it does allow local jurisdictions to levy their own — which is why its average combined rate isn't zero (it's about 1.82%) even though its state rate is. Always check whether a "no sales tax" state actually means no tax anywhere, or just no tax at the state level.
