New York City, NY vs Phoenix, AZ: sales tax compared
Quick answer
New York City, NY is the higher-tax metro at 8.875%, versus 8.6% in Phoenix, AZ. The 0.275% gap works out to $0.28 on a $100 purchase, $2.75 on $1,000 and $68.75 on a $25,000 purchase.
- Rate gap
- 0.275%Percentage points, combined rate
- Extra tax on $1,000
- $2.75Paid in New York City
- Extra tax on $25,000
- $68.75Vehicle-sized purchase
New York City, NY
New York County
8.875%
Combined rate · ranked #19 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | New York state | 4% |
| city | New York City local rate | 4.5% |
| special district | Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District | 0.375% |
- Population
- 8,258,035
- Median household income
- $79,713
Clothing and footwear under $110 per item are exempt from both the state and city portions in New York City — an exemption no other large US city matches.
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 (0.275%) applied to the pre-tax amount: 0.275% of $1,000 is $2.75. 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, New York City or Phoenix?
New York City, NY at 8.875%, versus 8.6% in Phoenix, AZ.
How much more sales tax would I pay in New York City on a $1,000 purchase?
About $2.75 more, and roughly $68.75 more on a $25,000 vehicle-sized purchase.
Why do New York City and Phoenix have different rates?
The state share is 4% in NY 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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