Mainers bear the fifth highest overall tax burden nationwide, according to a recent study published by personal finance website WalletHub.
This ranking takes into account property taxes and individual income taxes, as well as excise and sales taxes. Instead of looking at the rates themselves, this study considered these taxes as a share of personal income.
The data used for this report was collected from the Tax Policy Center on March 3, 2026.
Maine’s high placement on the list was primarily driven by the state’s property tax burden, which was found to be the fifth highest in the country at 3.95 percent.
Although lower, Maine still ranked among one of the most burdensome states for individual income tax, coming in fifteenth with a rate of 2.71 percent.
Of the three tax categories included in this report, Mainers fared the best with respect to sales and excises taxes at 3.35 percent, which fell in the bottom half of the rankings.
Vermont was the only other New England state to fall within the top ten. Meanwhile New Hampshire was found to have one of the lowest tax burdens in the country.
This is due primarily to the state’s lack of income and sales taxes. Residents’ property tax burden was, however, found to be higher than that of Mainers, coming in third nationwide at 4.33 percent.
Vermont, however, had the most substantial property tax burden of 4.89 percent.
Overall, Democratic-leaning states were found to have higher tax burdens than those which were Republican-leaning.
States were categorized as either red or blue based upon how they voted in the 2024 presidential election. While blue states had an average rank of 16, red states were found to come in with an average rank of around 31.
Democrats are not trying hard enough to steal from residents. There must be something they have not taxed yet.
The Mills machine’s goal is to be #1. As I look out my window at the giant pot holes and ripped roads.
You deserve who and what you vote for, sheeple!
500 municipalities, 165 police chiefs, 193 school districts, and 10 smaller counties, each of which by itself has less population than Portland, and hundreds of overpaid elected people in Augusta means gross over taxation. Orlando-Orange County, Fl, which merged decades ago to reduce over government staffing has the same population run by five person council, one police chief, one sheriff, one school board, one planning board. Maine is obscenely governed because government service is seen primarily as a jobs program for under -employed people.
Gotta feed the beast don’t ya know! Problem is it’s never sated.
James Gordon “You deserve who and what you vote for, sheeple!”
Except many of us did vote for her. Many of us can’t just pick up a leave, abandon everything, we have worked our entire live for and start over. Maine is the oldest state in the nation and many of us don’t have the time to start over. We fight, have fought for years and will continue to do so. F.U. and your “sheeple”!
ops, that should say DID NOT not did.
ChesireCat, I’m glad you clarified that. (I was going to say you proved my point….)