Philadelphia Inquirer: Why It’s Not as Simple as ‘New Jersey Is a High-Tax State’ or ‘Texas Is a Low-Tax State’

A recent study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy analyzed the burdens of state and local taxes across the nation.

The results were eye opening, though hardly surprising. Nationally, households in the lowest 20 percent income group spent 11.4 percent of their income on state and local taxes. In comparison, the top 1 percent paid 7.4 percent. The rate fell as incomes rose, meaning that nationally, state and local taxes are regressive.

Locally, the results differed dramatically. Read more