Facts & Figures 2024: How Does Your State Compare?
Facts & Figures serves as a one-stop state tax data resource that compares all 50 states on over 40 measures of tax rates, collections, burdens, and more.
2 min readHow does Alabama’s tax code compare? Alabama has a graduated state individual income tax, with rates ranging from 2.00 percent to 5.00 percent. There are also jurisdictions that collect local income taxes. Alabama has a 6.50 percent corporate income tax rate. Alabama also has a 4.00 percent state sales tax rate and an average combined state and local sales tax rate of 9.29 percent. Alabama has a 0.36 percent effective property tax rate on owner-occupied housing value.
Alabama does not have an estate tax or inheritance tax. Alabama has a 30.2 cents per gallon gas tax rate and a $0.675 cigarette excise tax rate. The State of Alabama collects $4,227 in state and local tax collections per capita. Alabama has $6,833 in state and local debt per capita and has a 72 percent funded ratio of public pension plans. Overall, Alabama’s tax system ranks 39th in our 2024 State Business Tax Climate Index.
Each state’s tax code is a multifaceted system with many moving parts, and Alabama is no exception. The first step towards understanding Alabama’s tax code is knowing the basics. How does Alabama collect tax revenue? Click the tabs below to learn more! You can also explore our state tax maps, which are compiled from our annual publication, Facts & Figures 2024: How Does Your State Compare?
Facts & Figures serves as a one-stop state tax data resource that compares all 50 states on over 40 measures of tax rates, collections, burdens, and more.
2 min readIn recognition of the fact that there are better and worse ways to raise revenue, our Index focuses on how state tax revenue is raised, not how much. The rankings, therefore, reflect how well states structure their tax systems.
111 min readTax burdens rose across the country as pandemic-era economic changes caused taxable income, activities, and property values to rise faster than net national product. Tax burdens in 2020, 2021, and 2022 are all higher than in any other year since 1978.
24 min readIndividual income taxes are a major source of state government revenue, accounting for more than a third of state tax collections. How do income taxes compare in your state?
8 min readGraduated corporate rates are inequitable—that is, the size of a corporation bears no necessary relation to the income levels of the owners.
7 min readRetail sales taxes are an essential part of most states’ revenue toolkits, responsible for 32 percent of state tax collections and 13 percent of local tax collections (24 percent of combined collections).
9 min readStates are unprepared for the ongoing shift to remote and flexible work arrangements, or for the industries and activities of today, to say nothing of tomorrow. In some states, moreover, existing tax provisions exacerbate the impact of high inflation and contribute to the supply chain crisis.
40 min readThe pandemic has accelerated changes in the way we live and work, making it far easier for people to move—and they have. As states work to maintain their competitive advantage, they should pay attention to where people are moving, and try to understand why.
5 min readWhile there are many ways to show how much is collected in taxes by state governments, our State Business Tax Climate Index is designed to show how well states structure their tax systems and provides a road map for improvement.
169 min readThe intentions behind federal deductibility are undoubtedly pro-taxpayer. Unfortunately, that is not what happens in practice. Tax liability is not reduced. It is distorted.
7 min readThe six counties with the highest median property tax payments all have bills exceeding $10,000—Bergen, Essex, and Union Counties in New Jersey, and Nassau, Rockland, and Westchester counties in New York. All six are near New York City, as is the next highest, Passaic County, New Jersey ($9,881).
3 min readIt is important to understand how the SALT deduction’s benefits have changed since the SALT cap was put into place in 2018 before repealing the cap or making the deduction more generous. Doing so would disproportionately benefit higher earners, making the tax code more regressive.
6 min readNeither Anchorage, Alaska, nor Portland, Oregon, impose any state or local sales taxes. Honolulu, Hawaii, has a low rate of 4.5 percent and several other major cities, including Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin, keep overall rates modest.
13 min readKrispy Kreme may have started the vaccine incentive ball rolling, but many states are putting big money into the effort with vaccine lotteries. Unlike a normal lottery, no one is paying for tickets—but the tax collector still gets paid when someone wins.
2 min readAlthough most states are on solid financial footing following the coronavirus crisis, pension liabilities are a deep-seated problem that long predates the pandemic.
2 min read