Washington does not have an individual income tax on wages or salaries, but does impose a capital gains excise tax with a 7 percent rate on long-term capital gains above approximately $262,000 and a 9.9 percent rate on gains above $1 million. (Lawmakers recently enacted a 9.9 percent tax on household income above $1 million, which goes into effect in 2028.) Washington does not have a traditional corporate income tax but does impose a gross receipts tax (Business and Occupation Tax). Washington has a 6.50 percent state sales tax rate and an average combined state and local sales tax rate of 9.51 percent. Washington has a 0.75 percent effective property tax rate on owner-occupied housing value. Washington has an estate tax. Washington’s gas tax is 59.04 cents per gallon, and its cigarette excise tax is $3.025 per pack of 20 cigarettes.
Washington raises tax revenue primarily through general sales taxes (37.6 percent of total state and local tax revenue), other taxes (35.0 percent), and property taxes (26.0 percent). Washington collects $7,745 in state and local tax collections per capita, carries $10,997 in state and local debt per capita, and has a 103 percent funded ratio of public pension plans. Washington’s tax system ranks 45th overall on the 2026 State Tax Competitiveness Index.
Each state’s tax code is a multifaceted system with many moving parts, and Washington is no exception. Use the tabs below to compare Washington taxes with other states and to see how Washington raises tax revenue. You can also browse our tax maps, which are compiled from our annual publication, Facts & Figures 2026: How Does Your State Compare?
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The State Tax Competitiveness Index enables policymakers, taxpayers, and business leaders to gauge how their states’ tax systems compare. While there are many ways to show how much state governments collect in taxes, the Index evaluates how well states structure their tax systems and provides a road map for improvement.
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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.
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Individual 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?
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Retail sales taxes are an essential part of most states’ revenue toolkits, responsible for nearly a quarter of combined state and local tax collections.
18 min read
Forty-four states levy a corporate income tax, with top rates ranging from a 2 percent flat rate in North Carolina to an 11.5 percent top marginal rate in New Jersey. Four states—Georgia, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania—reduced their corporate income tax rates effective January 1, 2026.
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Property taxes are the primary tool for financing local governments. While no taxpayers in high-tax jurisdictions will be celebrating their yearly payments, property taxes are largely rooted in the benefit principle of taxation: the people paying the property tax bills are most often the ones benefiting from the services.
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Taxes are the single most expensive ingredient in beer, costing more than the labor and raw materials combined.
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Of all alcoholic beverages subject to taxation, stiff drinks—and all distilled spirits—face the stiffest tax rates. Like many excise taxes, the treatment of distilled spirits varies widely across the states.
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States are in a better position to attract business investment when they maintain competitive real property tax rates and avoid harmful taxes on tangible personal property, intangible property, wealth, and asset transfers.
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An ideal sales tax applies to a broad base of final consumer goods and services, with few exemptions, and is levied at a low rate.
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Individual income tax rates can influence location decision-making, especially in an era of enhanced mobility, where it is easier for individuals to move without jeopardizing their current job, or without limiting the scope of their search for a new one.
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Recreational marijuana taxation is one of the hottest policy issues in the U.S. Currently, 21 states have implemented legislation to legalize and tax recreational marijuana sales.
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The overall U.S. tax and transfer system is overwhelmingly progressive, and understanding the extent—and source—of that progressivity is essential for lawmakers considering the trade-offs associated with each tax policy decision.
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The Washington Supreme Court not only gave its blessing to a capital gains tax that runs afoul of the state constitution, but it also set out a welcome mat for legislators eager to implement a broader income tax.
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As housing prices are rapidly increasing, and property tax bills along with them, the property tax has come into the spotlight in many states. The design of a state’s property tax system can affect how attractive that state is to businesses and residents.
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