Philadelphia, PA vs Phoenix, AZ: sales tax compared
Quick answer
Phoenix, AZ is the higher-tax metro at 8.6%, versus 8% in Philadelphia, PA. The 0.6% gap works out to $0.60 on a $100 purchase, $6.00 on $1,000 and $150.00 on a $25,000 purchase.
- Rate gap
- 0.6%Percentage points, combined rate
- Extra tax on $1,000
- $6.00Paid in Phoenix
- Extra tax on $25,000
- $150.00Vehicle-sized purchase
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.
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 (0.6%) applied to the pre-tax amount: 0.6% of $1,000 is $6.00. 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, Philadelphia or Phoenix?
Phoenix, AZ at 8.6%, versus 8% in Philadelphia, PA.
How much more sales tax would I pay in Phoenix on a $1,000 purchase?
About $6.00 more, and roughly $150.00 more on a $25,000 vehicle-sized purchase.
Why do Philadelphia and Phoenix have different rates?
The state share is 6% in PA 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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