Los Angeles, CA vs Phoenix, AZ: sales tax compared
Quick answer
Los Angeles, CA is the higher-tax metro at 9.5%, versus 8.6% in Phoenix, AZ. The 0.9% gap works out to $0.90 on a $100 purchase, $9.00 on $1,000 and $225.00 on a $25,000 purchase.
- Rate gap
- 0.9%Percentage points, combined rate
- Extra tax on $1,000
- $9.00Paid in Los Angeles
- Extra tax on $25,000
- $225.00Vehicle-sized purchase
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles County
9.5%
Combined rate · ranked #9 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | California state (incl. mandatory local) | 7.25% |
| special district | Los Angeles County transit and homelessness districts | 2.25% |
- Population
- 3,820,914
- Median household income
- $80,366
Los Angeles County stacks several voter-approved district taxes — Measure M, Measure H and predecessors — which is the entire reason the rate is 2.25 points above the state floor.
Phoenix, AZ
Maricopa County
8.6%
Combined rate · ranked #28 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | Arizona transaction privilege tax | 5.6% |
| county | Maricopa County | 0.7% |
| city | City of Phoenix | 2.3% |
- Population
- 1,650,070
- Median household income
- $72,092
Phoenix applies a higher city rate to some categories, including a separate rate tier on retail sales of single items above a threshold.
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 (0.9%) applied to the pre-tax amount: 0.9% of $1,000 is $9.00. 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, Los Angeles or Phoenix?
Los Angeles, CA at 9.5%, versus 8.6% in Phoenix, AZ.
How much more sales tax would I pay in Los Angeles on a $1,000 purchase?
About $9.00 more, and roughly $225.00 more on a $25,000 vehicle-sized purchase.
Why do Los Angeles and Phoenix have different rates?
The state share is 7.25% in CA and 5.6% in AZ. 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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