State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2026
Retail sales taxes are an essential part of most states’ revenue toolkits, responsible for nearly a quarter of combined state and local tax collections.
14 min readNew Jersey levies all major categories of tax, typically at high rates and significant levels of complexity.
In 1976, the Garden State enacted an individual income tax, in part to provide relief from rising property taxes. Now, individual taxpayers are subject to seven individual income tax brackets, a top marginal rate of 10.75 percent, and among the highest per capita property tax collections in the nation. Moreover, individual taxpayers are subject to a marriage penalty. New Jersey property taxpayers also pay the third-highest effective rate in the country. The state repealed its estate tax but continues to levy an inheritance tax.
Corporations face a top marginal tax rate of 11.5 percent, taking into account a surtax on large businesses known as the Corporate Transit Fee. Recently, however, New Jersey has largely removed global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) from its tax base, and tangible personal property is exempt from property taxation. Additionally, the state allows up to 20 years of net operating loss carryforwards without placing a cap on the dollar amount allowed.
| Category | Rank | Rank Change | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 49 | 0 | 3.71 |
| Corporate Taxes | 44 | 0 | 4.30 |
| Individual Income Taxes | 48 | 0 | 2.64 |
| Sales Taxes | 34 | 0 | 4.38 |
| Property Taxes | 42 | 1 | 4.13 |
| Unemployment Insurance Taxes | 46 | 4 | 3.84 |
Retail sales taxes are an essential part of most states’ revenue toolkits, responsible for nearly a quarter of combined state and local tax collections.
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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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Data centers face high tax burdens and are particularly substantial contributors to local coffers, but poor tax structure can drive these operations to other locations and deprive local governments of a major revenue stream.
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