Austin, TX vs Philadelphia, PA: sales tax compared
Quick answer
Austin, TX is the higher-tax metro at 8.25%, versus 8% in Philadelphia, PA. The 0.25% gap works out to $0.25 on a $100 purchase, $2.50 on $1,000 and $62.50 on a $25,000 purchase.
- Rate gap
- 0.25%Percentage points, combined rate
- Extra tax on $1,000
- $2.50Paid in Austin
- Extra tax on $25,000
- $62.50Vehicle-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.
Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia County
8%
Combined rate · ranked #46 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | Pennsylvania state | 6% |
| county | City and County of Philadelphia | 2% |
- Population
- 1,550,542
- Median household income
- $60,302
Pennsylvania exempts clothing and most groceries statewide, so Philadelphia's 8% applies to a narrower base than headline rates elsewhere.
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 (0.25%) applied to the pre-tax amount: 0.25% of $1,000 is $2.50. 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 Philadelphia?
Austin, TX at 8.25%, versus 8% in Philadelphia, PA.
How much more sales tax would I pay in Austin on a $1,000 purchase?
About $2.50 more, and roughly $62.50 more on a $25,000 vehicle-sized purchase.
Why do Austin and Philadelphia have different rates?
The state share is 6.25% in TX and 6% in PA. 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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