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 Wisconsin’s tax code compare? Wisconsin has a graduated state individual income tax, with rates ranging from 3.50 percent to 7.65 percent. Wisconsin has a 7.9 percent corporate income tax rate. Wisconsin also has a 5.00 percent state sales tax rate and an average combined state and local sales tax rate of 5.70 percent. Wisconsin has a 1.38 percent effective property tax rate on owner-occupied housing value.
Wisconsin does not have an estate tax or inheritance tax. Wisconsin has a 32.9 cents per gallon gas tax rate and a $2.52 cigarette excise tax rate. The State of Wisconsin collects $5,700 in state and local tax collections per capita. Wisconsin has $8,464 in state and local debt per capita and has a 100 percent funded ratio of public pension plans. Overall, Wisconsin’s tax system ranks 24th on our 2024 State Business Tax Climate Index.
Each state’s tax code is a multifaceted system with many moving parts, and Wisconsin is no exception. The first step towards understanding Wisconsin’s tax code is knowing the basics. How does Wisconsin 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?
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SubscribeFacts & 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 readIRS and Census data show that people and businesses favor states with low and structurally sound tax systems, which can impact the state’s economic growth and governmental coffers.
12 min readWhen examining tax burdens on businesses, it is important to consider both federal and state corporate taxes. Corporate taxes are one of the most economically damaging ways to raise revenue and are a promising area of reform for states to increase competitiveness and promote economic growth, benefiting both companies and workers.
3 min readProperty taxes are the primary tool for financing local government and generating state-level revenue in some states as well.
5 min readWill states consider student loan forgiveness a taxable event? In some states, the answer could be yes.
5 min readThe mix of tax sources states choose can have important implications for both revenue stability and economic growth, and the many variations across states are indicative of the different ways states weigh competing policy goals.
29 min readThe FDA’s proposal to ban flavored cigars would carry significant revenue implications for many state governments.
7 min readA marriage penalty exists when a state’s income brackets for married taxpayers filing jointly are less than double the bracket widths that apply to single filers. In other words, married couples who file jointly under this scenario have a higher effective tax rate than they would if they filed as two single individuals with the same amount of combined income.
3 min readWhile many factors influence business location and investment decisions, sales taxes are something within policymakers’ control that can have immediate impacts.
12 min readGiven the state’s strong budget surplus and projected continued revenue growth, Wisconsin is in a prime position to enact pro-growth reforms to improve the state’s competitive standing for decades to come.
54 min readIf the policy goal of taxing cigarettes is to encourage cessation, vapor taxation must be considered a part of that policy design.
4 min read