As the famous saying asserts, taxes, along with death, are one of the only certainties in life. Though most people resent paying taxes, these payments are necessary to facilitate civilization. Taxes fund roads, schools, and the military — among many other services — while also ensuring the government continues to function. Everyone is affected by taxes in some way, but not everyone is taxed equally.

Local governments can levy taxes on their citizens through property taxes, sales taxes, income taxes, and other means — however the government thinks it can best obtain the funding it needs. These decisions can lead to large differences in the tax burden of residents in different areas.

There is a wide range in the percentage of each county’s income that goes to taxes. Putnam County, New York, has a relatively low median annual household income of about $33,000, but the average annual tax bill in the county exceeds $12,624, meaning that more than 38% of residents’ income goes to taxes. Fort Bend County, Texas, residents have an average annual tax bill of $6,317, accounting for less than 7% of the area’s $91,152 median household income.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed the Economic Policy Institute’s Family Budget Calculator to determine the county in each state with the biggest tax bill.

Click here to see the counties with the biggest tax bill in every state.
Click here to see our detailed findings and methodology.