St. Petersburg, FL vs Tampa, FL: sales tax compared
Quick answer
Tampa, FL is the higher-tax metro at 7.5%, versus 7% in St. Petersburg, FL. The 0.5% gap works out to $0.50 on a $100 purchase, $5.00 on $1,000 and $125.00 on a $25,000 purchase.
- Rate gap
- 0.5%Percentage points, combined rate
- Extra tax on $1,000
- $5.00Paid in Tampa
- Extra tax on $25,000
- $125.00Vehicle-sized purchase
St. Petersburg, FL
Pinellas County
7%
Combined rate · ranked #63 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | Florida state | 6% |
| county | Pinellas County discretionary surtax | 1% |
- Population
- 261,256
- Median household income
- $73,113
Pinellas County's Penny for Pinellas surtax funds infrastructure and is renewed by referendum, so St. Petersburg's rate has moved with those votes.
Tampa, FL
Hillsborough County
7.5%
Combined rate · ranked #56 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | Florida state | 6% |
| county | Hillsborough County discretionary surtax | 1.5% |
- Population
- 403,364
- Median household income
- $71,302
Florida's county surtax applies only to the first $5,000 of a single item of tangible personal property, so large purchases in Tampa are effectively taxed at 6%.
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 (0.5%) applied to the pre-tax amount: 0.5% of $1,000 is $5.00. 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, St. Petersburg or Tampa?
Tampa, FL at 7.5%, versus 7% in St. Petersburg, FL.
How much more sales tax would I pay in Tampa on a $1,000 purchase?
About $5.00 more, and roughly $125.00 more on a $25,000 vehicle-sized purchase.
Why do St. Petersburg and Tampa have different rates?
The state share is 6% in FL and 6% in FL. 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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