Calculate sales tax on any purchase or reverse-calculate the pre-tax price from a total. Select your state to auto-fill combined state and local tax rates, or enter a custom rate — results update instantly as you type.
Pro tip: Five US states have no state sales tax: Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, and most of Alaska. But beware — some cities in Alaska and Montana do charge local sales tax.
Add multiple items and mark each as taxable or tax-exempt. See the total tax, total due, and per-item breakdown.
See which categories (groceries, clothing, electronics, medicine) are taxed in your selected state with applicable exemptions and special rates.
Compare sales tax across up to 3 states side-by-side. See total cost differences on your purchase amount.
Sales Tax Rates by State (Complete 2026 Table)
Sales tax rates across the United States vary dramatically depending on where you shop. Every state sets its own base rate, and most allow cities and counties to stack additional local taxes on top. The combined rate — what you actually pay at the register — can differ by nearly ten percentage points between the cheapest and most expensive jurisdictions. Louisiana and Tennessee tie for the highest combined average at 9.55%, while five states impose no state-level sales tax at all. Knowing the combined rate for your location helps you budget more accurately and avoid surprises at checkout.
The table embedded in this calculator reflects 2026 combined state-plus-average-local rates compiled from state revenue departments. Keep in mind that your exact rate may differ slightly because local jurisdictions can change their levies independently of the state. If you need a precise rate for a specific zip code, check your state department of revenue website or use the custom rate field above.
How to Calculate Sales Tax on Any Purchase
The forward sales tax formula is straightforward: multiply the item price by the tax rate expressed as a decimal. If you are buying a $49.99 item in a jurisdiction with an 8.25% combined rate, the tax is $49.99 × 0.0825 = $4.12, making the total $54.11. This calculator handles the math instantly, but understanding the underlying arithmetic is useful when you want to estimate totals in your head while shopping.
A quick mental shortcut: for every one percent of tax, the cost per hundred dollars increases by one dollar. An 8% rate adds roughly $8 per $100 spent. Round your purchase to the nearest hundred, multiply by the rate, and you will have a close estimate before reaching the register. For precision — especially on large purchases like electronics or appliances — use the calculator above and enter your exact local rate.
Reverse Sales Tax: Finding the Pre-Tax Price
Sometimes you know the total you paid and need to figure out the original price before tax. This is common when reconciling receipts, filing expense reports, or verifying that a store charged the correct rate. The reverse formula divides the total by one plus the tax rate as a decimal: pre-tax price = total ÷ (1 + rate). For example, if you paid $107.77 and the tax rate is 7.77%, the pre-tax price is $107.77 ÷ 1.0777 = $100.00.
Switch the calculator above to “Remove Tax” mode to perform this calculation automatically. Enter the total amount you paid, select your state or type a custom rate, and the tool instantly shows the original price and the tax portion embedded in that total. This is especially helpful for freelancers and small business owners who need to separate tax from gross receipts for bookkeeping.
States With No Sales Tax
Five states — Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, and Alaska — do not impose a state-level sales tax. Residents and visitors shopping in these states enjoy lower prices at the register, which can add up to meaningful savings on large purchases. Oregon in particular has become a popular destination for cross-border shoppers from Washington State, where the combined rate averages over 9%.
However, “no state sales tax” does not always mean “no sales tax.” Alaska allows local municipalities to levy their own sales taxes, and some boroughs charge rates as high as 7.5%. Montana similarly permits certain resort communities to impose a local option tax. Always check the local rate for the specific city or county where you are making a purchase, even in a nominally tax-free state.
Why Sales Tax Rates Vary So Much by Location
Sales tax is a patchwork system because it is governed at the state level, not the federal level. Each state legislature decides whether to levy a sales tax, sets the base rate, and determines which goods and services are taxable. On top of that, most states grant cities, counties, and special districts the authority to add their own surcharges for transit, stadiums, infrastructure, and other local priorities. The result is more than 13,000 distinct tax jurisdictions across the country, each with its own rate.
Exemptions add another layer of complexity. Many states exempt groceries, prescription drugs, and clothing from sales tax, but definitions vary. In New York, clothing items under $110 are exempt; in neighboring Pennsylvania, all clothing is exempt regardless of price. Some states tax digital downloads while others do not. These category-level differences mean the effective tax burden depends not just on where you shop, but on what you buy. Use the state selector above to see combined rates, and check the subscriber-only category guide for item-level exemption details.
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