Mesa, AZ vs Tucson, AZ: sales tax compared
Quick answer
Tucson, AZ is the higher-tax metro at 8.7%, versus 8.3% in Mesa, AZ. The 0.4% gap works out to $0.40 on a $100 purchase, $4.00 on $1,000 and $100.00 on a $25,000 purchase.
- Rate gap
- 0.4%Percentage points, combined rate
- Extra tax on $1,000
- $4.00Paid in Tucson
- Extra tax on $25,000
- $100.00Vehicle-sized purchase
Mesa, AZ
Maricopa County
8.3%
Combined rate · ranked #33 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | Arizona transaction privilege tax | 5.6% |
| county | Maricopa County | 0.7% |
| city | City of Mesa | 2% |
- Population
- 511,648
- Median household income
- $74,096
Mesa raised its city transaction privilege tax rate in recent years to fund public safety, putting it slightly below neighboring Phoenix.
Tucson, AZ
Pima County
8.7%
Combined rate · ranked #24 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | Arizona transaction privilege tax | 5.6% |
| county | Pima County | 0.5% |
| city | City of Tucson | 2.6% |
- Population
- 543,242
- Median household income
- $52,245
Arizona levies a transaction privilege tax on the seller rather than a sales tax on the buyer, and Tucson's city rate is one of the higher municipal rates in the state.
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 (0.4%) applied to the pre-tax amount: 0.4% of $1,000 is $4.00. 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, Mesa or Tucson?
Tucson, AZ at 8.7%, versus 8.3% in Mesa, AZ.
How much more sales tax would I pay in Tucson on a $1,000 purchase?
About $4.00 more, and roughly $100.00 more on a $25,000 vehicle-sized purchase.
Why do Mesa and Tucson have different rates?
The state share is 5.6% in AZ 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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