The Tax Foundation

Tax Data

Florida

The Facts on Florida's Tax Climate

Here are some basic facts on Florida's tax system and how it compares to other states:

Tax Freedom Day Arrives on April 26 in Florida
Tax Freedom Day is the day when Americans finally have earned enough money to pay off their total tax bill for the year. In 2008, Florida taxpayers had to work until April 26 to pay their total tax bill, ranking it 9th highest in the nation. That's three days later than national Tax Freedom Day (April 23). The Tax Freedom Days of neighboring states are: Georgia, April 19 (ranked 23rd nationally) and Alabama, April 9 (ranked 46th nationally).

Tax Freedom Day has been projected using the most up-to-date economic and budget projections from official government agencies. However, Tax Foundation estimates of average state and local tax rates for 2008 will not be released until later this spring as we await more up-to-date data from various government agencies.
Full study of Tax Freedom Day, nationwide and in each state

Florida's State/Local Tax Burden Well Below Average in 2007
Over the past three decades, Florida’s state/local tax burden has been consistently low. Estimated at 10.0% of income, Florida’s 2007 state/local tax burden is ranked 38th highest nationally, well below the national average of 11.0%. Floridians pay $3,962 per capita in state and local taxes on per-capita state income of $39,782.
Florida's State and Local Tax Burden, 1970-present

Florida's 2008 Business Tax Climate Ranks 5th
Florida ranks 5th in the Tax Foundation's State Business Tax Climate Index. The Index compares the states in five areas of taxation that impact business: corporate taxes; individual income taxes; sales taxes; unemployment insurance taxes; and taxes on property, including residential and commercial property. Neighboring states ranked as follows: Georgia (20th) and Alabama (21st).
50-State Comparison of Business Tax Climates (data only)
2008 State Business Tax Climate Index, Fifth Edition (full study)

Florida Levies No Individual Income Tax
Florida is among seven states in the country that collect no individual income taxes. Since most small businesses are either S Corporations or partnerships or sole proprietorships, they pay their business taxes at the rates for individuals. This makes the tax environment for small businesses in Florida very competitive compared to other states.
50-State Table of Individual Income Tax Rates
50-State Table of State Individual Income Tax Collections
50-State Table of State and Local Individual Income Tax Collections Per Capita

Florida's Corporate Income Tax System
Florida's corporate tax structure consists of a flat rate of 5.5 percent on all corporate income, which ranks 40th highest among states that tax corporate income. In 2006, state-level corporate tax collections (excluding local taxes) were $132.99 per capita and ranked 31st highest nationally.
50-State Table of Corporate Income Tax Rates, 2000-2008
50-State Table of State and Local Corporate Income Tax Collections Per Capita and Per Household, 2005
50-State Table of State Corporate Income Tax Collections Per Capita, 2006

Florida Levies Sales Tax above National Median; Statewide Gasoline Tax Among the Lowest Nationally
Florida levies a 6% general sales or use tax on consumers, above the national median of 5.4%. In 2005, state and local governments combined collected $1,679 per person in general sales taxes, which ranked 5th highest nationally. Florida's statewide gasoline tax stands at 33.2 cents per gallon (ranked 7th lowest nationally), while its cigarette tax stands at 33.9 cents per pack of twenty (ranked 45th nationally). Additionally, counties in Florida have the authority to levy their own "local option" taxes on gasoline. The sales tax was adopted in 1949, the gasoline tax in 1921 and the cigarette tax in 1943.
50-State Table of Sales and Excise Tax Rates
50-State Table of State and Local General Sales and Gross Receipts Tax Collections Per Household and Per Capita, Fiscal Year 2005

Florida Property Taxes: Middle of the Pack
Florida is one of the 37 states that collect property taxes at both the state and local levels. As in most states, local governments collect far more. Florida's localities collected $18,223,505,000 in property taxes in fiscal year 2004, the latest year for which the Census Bureau has published state-by-state data. At the state level, Florida collected $276,786,000 in property taxes during FY 2004, making its combined state/local property taxes $18,500,291,000. That brings its per capita collection to $1,064 (ranked 19th highest nationally).
State property tax collections per capita by state

Federal Tax Burdens and Expenditures -- Florida is a Beneficiary State
Florida taxpayers receive just slightly less in federal funding than they send to Washington. Per dollar of Federal tax collected in 2005, Florida citizens received approximately 97 cents in the way of federal spending. This ratio is 34th highest among the 50 states, down from 24th in 1995 when Florida received $1.07 in federal spending per dollar of federal taxes paid. Neighboring states and the amount of federal spending they received per dollar of federal taxation paid were as follows: Georgia ($1.01) and Alabama ($1.66).
Comparing the amount of federal taxes sent to Washington with the amount of federal spending coming back to the state

Tax Data from The Tax Foundation