Austin, TX vs Chicago, IL: sales tax compared
Quick answer
Chicago, IL is the higher-tax metro at 10.25%, versus 8.25% in Austin, TX. The 2% gap works out to $2.00 on a $100 purchase, $20.00 on $1,000 and $500.00 on a $25,000 purchase.
- Rate gap
- 2%Percentage points, combined rate
- Extra tax on $1,000
- $20.00Paid in Chicago
- Extra tax on $25,000
- $500.00Vehicle-sized purchase
Austin, TX
Travis County
8.25%
Combined rate · ranked #39 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | Texas state | 6.25% |
| city | City of Austin | 1% |
| special district | Capital Metro | 1% |
- Population
- 979,882
- Median household income
- $91,461
Austin's Project Connect transit expansion is funded by property tax, not sales tax, because the city was already at the 8.25% cap.
Chicago, IL
Cook County
10.25%
Combined rate · ranked #4 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | Illinois state | 6.25% |
| county | Cook County | 1.75% |
| city | City of Chicago | 1.25% |
| special district | Regional Transportation Authority | 1% |
- Population
- 2,664,452
- Median household income
- $71,673
Chicago's 10.25% is the highest combined rate among the largest US cities, and groceries and prescription drugs are taxed at a reduced 1% state rate.
How the difference is calculated
Same arithmetic the calculator on every page runs.
Each combined rate is the sum of its listed state, county, city and special-district components — no rounding is applied before the total. The dollar gap is the rate difference (2%) applied to the pre-tax amount: 2% of $1,000 is $20.00. Neither figure includes product-specific exemptions; groceries, clothing and digital goods can be taxed at a different rate or not at all, which is covered on each state's rules page.
Questions people ask
Direct answers to the questions this comparison raises.
Which has a higher sales tax rate, Austin or Chicago?
Chicago, IL at 10.25%, versus 8.25% in Austin, TX.
How much more sales tax would I pay in Chicago on a $1,000 purchase?
About $20.00 more, and roughly $500.00 more on a $25,000 vehicle-sized purchase.
Why do Austin and Chicago have different rates?
The state share is 6.25% in TX and 6.25% in IL. The rest comes from county, city and special-district increments stacked on top, which are set locally and listed in full on this page.
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