Skip to content
2025 State Tax
Competitiveness Index

New Jersey | #49 Overall

New Jersey‘s tax system ranks 49th overall on the 2025 State Tax Competitiveness Index. New 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 eight individual income tax brackets, a top marginal rate of 10.75 percent, and 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 The state repealed the estate tax but continues to levy the inheritance tax.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 conforms to the federal limitation of 80 percent net operating loss carryforwards but fails to conform to the unlimited recovery period included in the federal law.

CategoryRankRank ChangeScore
Overall4903.69
Corporate Taxes4404.29
Individual Income Taxes4802.57
Sales Taxes35-34.37
Property Taxes43-14.16
Unemployment Insurance Taxes5023.66

Top Overall States

Bottom Overall States

Neighboring States

Compare Neighboring States

Tax Data by State

Get facts about taxes in your state and around the U.S.

Explore Data

More on New Jersey

distilled spirits taxes by state 2025, state liquor taxes and state alcohol taxes

Distilled Spirits Taxes by State, 2025

The significant disparity in tax rates across states underscores the complex tax and regulatory environment governing distilled spirits.

6 min read
State Implications of the One Big Beautiful Bill No Tax on Car Loan Interest SNAP Cost Sharing No Tax on Tips and Overtime Medicaid Reductions for States Covering Undocumented Immigrants

State Implications of the One, Big, Beautiful Bill

As the US House hashes out its “One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” statehouse lawmakers are watching closely, given the impact of both its tax and spending provisions on state budgets.

12 min read
State and Local Tax Collections Per Capita by State, 2025 State and Local Tax Burdens by State

State and Local Tax Collections Per Capita by State, 2025

According to the latest economic data from the US Census Bureau, the average per capita state and local tax burden is $7,109. However, collections vary widely by state, reflecting differences in tax rates and bases, natural resource endowments, the scale and scope of taxable economic activity in each state, and residents’ political preferences.

5 min read