US Sales Tax Calculator: State and County Rates

US sales tax: state rate, local tax and reverse calculation

In the United States, sales tax is added to the shelf price at the till: tax = pre-tax price × (state rate + local rate). The tool also works backwards: pre-tax price = total ÷ (1 + rate). In California, with the 7.25% base rate and a 1.60% average local rate, a $100 purchase costs $108.85.

How the tool calculates

• Applied rate = state rate + the state's average local rate (or the one you enter), if the local tax box is ticked.
• Pre-tax to total: tax = amount × rate; reverse: pre-tax = amount ÷ (1 + rate).
• Exemptions: prescription drugs everywhere; groceries and clothing according to a per-state flag, which then sets the whole rate to 0. In Kansas and Illinois, groceries pay 0% state tax plus local tax: the state average in Kansas, at most 1% in Illinois (municipalities that adopted it). $100 of groceries in Kansas therefore costs $102.16.

Recalculated examples

California, $100 before tax: $7.25 state + $1.60 local = $8.85, total $108.85. In reverse, a $100 total contains $91.87 before tax and $8.13 of tax. Louisiana: 5% state rate since 01/01/2025 (corrected in the tool) + 5.10% local, so $110.10. Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no sales tax; Alaska only has local taxes.

Limits

• The local rate is a state-wide average, not the rate at your address; some cities are well above it. New Jersey has no local sales tax: the tool applies the state rate alone, without the reduced Urban Enterprise Zone rates.
• Outside Kansas and Illinois, reduced grocery rates are not modelled: the tool applies either the full rate or a full exemption, without the local taxes that sometimes apply to groceries in states that exempt them.
• Clothing exemption thresholds (New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island) are ignored.
• Only the California, Louisiana and Washington DC rates were rechecked; the others are indicative.

Sources and dates: CDTFA, California base rate of 7.25%; Louisiana Department of Revenue, 5% from 01/01/2025; DC Office of Tax and Revenue, 6% until 30/09/2027 (increase postponed); Kansas Department of Revenue, Notice 24-21; Illinois Department of Revenue, bulletin FY 2026-03 (checked 14/10/2026).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the price paid in the US higher than the price tag?

Prices are shown before tax and sales tax is added at the till. In California, an item tagged $100 costs $108.85 with the 7.25% base rate and the 1.60% average local rate used by the tool; the exact rate depends on the city.

Which states have no sales tax?

Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon levy none at state level. Neither does Alaska, but some municipalities there charge a local tax, which the tool estimates at 1.82% on average.

How do I find the pre-tax price from a receipt?

Divide the total by (1 + rate). For $100 paid in California at 8.85%, the pre-tax price is 100 ÷ 1.0885 = $91.87 and the tax $8.13. This is the tool's total-to-pre-tax mode.

Is food taxed in the United States?

It depends on the state. Most exempt groceries, others apply a reduced or full rate. Kansas has taxed food at 0% at state level since 01/01/2025 (local taxes still apply) and Illinois dropped its 1% state grocery tax on 01/01/2026; the tool applies both rules, with at most 1% local tax in Illinois, but not other states' reduced rates.

Is this tool really free?

Yes, all tools on Kristools are 100% free and accessible without registration.

Is my data protected?

Yes. All processing is performed directly and securely inside your browser. No personal data is sent to our servers.