US States with the Most and Least Tax Dread

Americans' tax gripes vary widely by location, a new Gallup poll found.

Tax complaints are most widespread in the New York tri-state area, with three quarters of residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut describing their state taxes as too high. In contrast, Wyoming has the lowest percentage of residents who think their state taxes are too high (19 percent). 

From June to December 2013, Gallup pollsters asked thousands of Americans, "Do you consider the amount of state taxes you have to oat as too high, or not to high?" The following is a list of the percentage of residents in each state who replied "too high."

  1. New York: 77
  2. New Jersey: 77
  3. Connecticut: 76
  4. Illinois: 71
  5. Rhode Island: 70
  6. Maryland: 67
  7. Massachusetts: 65
  8. Nebraska: 63
  9. Vermont: 63
  10. California: 62
  11. Maine: 59
  12. North Carolina: 59
  13. Hawaii: 59
  14. Minnesota: 59
  15. Pennsylvania: 58
  16. Kansas: 57
  17. West Virginia: 56
  18. Kentucky: 55
  19. Louisiana: 54
  20. Georgia: 53
  21. Virginia: 51
  22. Wisconsin: 51
  23. Arkansas: 51
  24. Ohio: 51
  25. Washington: 49
  26. Michigan: 49

  27. Oregon: 49
  28. 
Oklahoma: 48

  29. South Carolina: 48
  30. 
Indiana: 48
  31. Missouri: 48
  32. Mississippi: 47
  33. New Mexico: 47
  34. Utah: 46
  35. 
Iowa: 45
  36. Arizona: 45
  37. Tennessee: 43 

  38. Alabama: 42

  39. New Hampshire: 41

  40. Texas: 39

  41. Colorado: 39
  42. 
Idaho: 39
  43. 
Montana: 36
  44. 
North Dakota: 35

  45. Delaware: 34
  46. 
Florida: 33
  47. 
Nevada: 28
  48. 
South Dakota: 27

  49. Alaska: 21

  50. Wyoming: 19
Live Science Staff
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