Special Report
How Much the Average Person Pays in Taxes in a Lifetime in Every State
Published:
Tax day in the U.S. just passed, and if you feel like you are working a large part of your life just to pay taxes, the statistics bear you out. And in some states, that burden is greater than others.
To identify how much tax people pay in their lifetime in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed Life of Tax: What Americans Will Pay in Taxes Over a Lifetime published by loans and credit builder Self. The report shows average lifetime earnings and taxes compiled from wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Report for the year 2020 and several other sources. States are listed alphabetically. (See also the most tax friendly states for the rich.)
According to Self., Americans will pay on average $480,407 in taxes during their lifetime, or 34.49% of their earnings. Self. calculated the figures by adding federal and state lifetime income taxes as well as sales, property, and automotive taxes. Total lifetime taxes were then compared against lifetime earnings based on figures from the American Community Survey conducted by the Census Bureau, plus 3.9% inflation, and multiplied by a working lifetime of 36 years.
Residents in 34 states will pay less than what the average American will shell out over his or her lifetime. The lowest is Tennessee at $284,624.
Taxes on earnings are the biggest hit on taxpayers, with Americans paying $255,364, on average, in income taxes in a lifetime. Tax on property is next at $174,251, and that is above the property price and maintenance. (These are the states with the highest and lowest property taxes.)
As you might expect, residents in Northeastern states pay the most over a lifetime, and
New Jersey is by far the highest. Residents in the Garden State will pay $1,035,725 in taxes, on average, in a lifetime. New Jersey residents will pay 61.84% of their earnings to taxes over their lifetimes, one of six states where residents pay more than 50% of their earnings in total taxes. New Jersey residents also pay the highest effective rate on owner-occupied property at 2.13%, according to the Tax Foundation.
The other top states or districts in lifetime tax payments are Connecticut ($869,664), the District of Columbia (869,419), Massachusetts ($859,592), and New York ($793,590).
Click here to see how much tax people pay in an average lifetime in every state
Alabama
> Lifetime taxes: $286,839 — 2nd lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,199,920 — 8th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 23.9% — 4th lowest
[in-text-ad]
Alaska
> Lifetime taxes: $378,563 — 19th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,513,777 — 10th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 25.0% — 7th lowest
24/7 Wall St.
Arizona
> Lifetime taxes: $396,944 — 22nd lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,283,032 — 21st lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 30.9% — 23rd lowest
Arkansas
> Lifetime taxes: $316,691 — 7th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,172,354 — 6th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 27.0% — 12th lowest
[in-text-ad-2]
California
> Lifetime taxes: $594,588 — 11th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,427,935 — 15th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 41.6% — 10th highest
Colorado
> Lifetime taxes: $443,789 — 20th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,473,493 — 13th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 30.1% — 21st lowest
[in-text-ad]
Connecticut
> Lifetime taxes: $869,664 — 2nd highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,608,222 — 4th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 54.1% — 2nd highest
24/7 Wall St.
Delaware
> Lifetime taxes: $337,040 — 9th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,397,750 — 17th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 24.1% — 5th lowest
Florida
> Lifetime taxes: $324,293 — 8th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,200,594 — 9th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 27.0% — 12th lowest
[in-text-ad-2]
Georgia
> Lifetime taxes: $394,229 — 21st lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,294,291 — 23rd lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 30.5% — 22nd lowest
Hawaii
> Lifetime taxes: $432,521 — 23rd highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,475,513 — 11th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 29.3% — 16th lowest
[in-text-ad]
Idaho
> Lifetime taxes: $398,041 — 23rd lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,153,652 — 3rd lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 34.5% — 17th highest
Illinois
> Lifetime taxes: $571,754 — 12th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,445,478 — 14th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 39.6% — 13th highest
Indiana
> Lifetime taxes: $343,214 — 13th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,274,167 — 19th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 26.9% — 10th lowest
[in-text-ad-2]
Iowa
> Lifetime taxes: $435,712 — 22nd highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,326,234 — 20th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 32.9% — 24th highest
Kansas
> Lifetime taxes: $443,876 — 19th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,289,727 — 22nd lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 34.4% — 19th highest
[in-text-ad]
Kentucky
> Lifetime taxes: $337,956 — 10th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,202,464 — 10th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 28.1% — 14th lowest
24/7 Wall St.
Louisiana
> Lifetime taxes: $287,911 — 3rd lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,223,971 — 12th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 23.5% — 2nd lowest
Maine
> Lifetime taxes: $532,526 — 13th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,280,638 — 20th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 41.6% — 11th highest
[in-text-ad-2]
Maryland
> Lifetime taxes: $701,147 — 7th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,714,637 — the highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 40.9% — 12th highest
Massachusetts
> Lifetime taxes: $859,592 — 3rd highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,677,382 — 2nd highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 51.3% — 6th highest
[in-text-ad]
Michigan
> Lifetime taxes: $417,826 — 24th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,254,306 — 17th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 33.3% — 22nd highest
Minnesota
> Lifetime taxes: $676,098 — 8th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,515,049 — 9th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 44.6% — 7th highest
Mississippi
> Lifetime taxes: $342,442 — 12th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,140,224 — 2nd lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 30.0% — 20th lowest
[in-text-ad-2]
Missouri
> Lifetime taxes: $402,369 — 25th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,264,667 — 18th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 31.8% — 25th lowest
Montana
> Lifetime taxes: $400,353 — 24th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,162,030 — 4th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 34.5% — 18th highest
[in-text-ad]
Nebraska
> Lifetime taxes: $505,128 — 14th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,319,725 — 22nd highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 38.3% — 15th highest
Nevada
> Lifetime taxes: $356,425 — 14th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,302,482 — 25th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 27.4% — 13th lowest
New Hampshire
> Lifetime taxes: $785,365 — 5th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,525,971 — 7th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 51.5% — 5th highest
[in-text-ad-2]
New Jersey
> Lifetime taxes: $1,035,725 — the highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,674,951 — 3rd highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 61.8% — the highest
New Mexico
> Lifetime taxes: $339,681 — 11th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,135,473 — the lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 29.9% — 18th lowest
[in-text-ad]
New York
> Lifetime taxes: $793,590 — 4th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,538,015 — 6th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 51.6% — 3rd highest
North Carolina
> Lifetime taxes: $372,879 — 18th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,242,523 — 14th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 30.0% — 19th lowest
North Dakota
> Lifetime taxes: $367,595 — 16th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,427,524 — 16th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 25.8% — 8th lowest
[in-text-ad-2]
Ohio
> Lifetime taxes: $382,653 — 20th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,296,011 — 24th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 29.5% — 17th lowest
Oklahoma
> Lifetime taxes: $311,886 — 5th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,206,503 — 11th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 25.9% — 9th lowest
[in-text-ad]
Oregon
> Lifetime taxes: $504,358 — 15th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,315,349 — 24th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 38.3% — 14th highest
24/7 Wall St.
Pennsylvania
> Lifetime taxes: $444,551 — 18th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,383,462 — 18th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 32.1% — 25th highest
Rhode Island
> Lifetime taxes: $643,387 — 10th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,474,092 — 12th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 43.6% — 8th highest
[in-text-ad-2]
South Carolina
> Lifetime taxes: $371,452 — 17th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,194,759 — 7th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 31.1% — 24th lowest
South Dakota
> Lifetime taxes: $356,861 — 15th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,253,445 — 16th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 28.5% — 15th lowest
[in-text-ad]
Tennessee
> Lifetime taxes: $284,624 — the lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,224,682 — 13th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 23.2% — the lowest
Texas
> Lifetime taxes: $440,905 — 21st highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,309,252 — 25th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 33.7% — 21st highest
Utah
> Lifetime taxes: $415,252 — 25th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,250,004 — 15th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 33.2% — 23rd highest
[in-text-ad-2]
Vermont
> Lifetime taxes: $446,968 — 17th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,318,341 — 23rd highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 33.9% — 20th highest
Virginia
> Lifetime taxes: $782,179 — 6th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,517,592 — 8th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 51.5% — 4th highest
[in-text-ad]
Washington
> Lifetime taxes: $667,197 — 9th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,552,191 — 5th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 43.0% — 9th highest
24/7 Wall St.
West Virginia
> Lifetime taxes: $289,473 — 4th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,166,967 — 5th lowest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 24.8% — 6th lowest
Wisconsin
> Lifetime taxes: $494,250 — 16th highest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,366,742 — 19th highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 36.2% — 16th highest
[in-text-ad-2]
Wyoming
> Lifetime taxes: $312,971 — 6th lowest
> Lifetime earnings: $1,323,653 — 21st highest
> Pct. of earnings as total taxes: 23.6% — 3rd lowest
Get Ready To Retire (Sponsored)
Start by taking a quick retirement quiz from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes, or less.
Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.
Here’s how it works:
1. Answer SmartAsset advisor match quiz
2. Review your pre-screened matches at your leisure. Check out the advisors’ profiles.
3. Speak with advisors at no cost to you. Have an introductory call on the phone or introduction in person and choose whom to work with in the future
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
