BUSINESS: Research + Stats Washington Leads the Nation in Taxation By Staff Friday, June 9, 2023 2:56 PM Americans are seeing their taxes climb according to a new report from USAFacts. The data agency reports that the level of taxation rose in several states across the U.S. with the highest levels of taxation in Washington and Hawaii. General sales tax made up 32 percent of local and state government tax revenue in 2020. These taxes are applied to goods and services and are collected to help cover the cost of local and state expenditures such as infrastructure. Hawaii saw its tax rate climb to $2,400 per capita. This is equal to 4.8 percent of personal income in general sales tax. Meanwhile, Washington's tax rate rose to just under $3,000 per capita or 4.2 percent of personal income. New Mexico came in third with an annual tax rate of $2,200 per person or 4.6 percent of personal income on general sales tax. There are only four states that have no general sales tax including Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon. States with the lowest tax burden include Alaska, Vermont and Maryland. In 2020, Alaskans paid on average $340 per capita, or a rate of 0.5 percent of personal income. Vermont collected $720 or 1.2 percent of personal income.