Unfortuantely it's in effective tax burdens.  

Tax Burden By State
If all other things are equal, a state with a lower tax burden is a more attractive place to live in retirement than a state with a higher one.  To get a true sense of which state is less expensive, you need to look at state and local tax burdens.  Only then do the low tax states stand out.
Taxes that are included in the state and local tax burden are as follows:

*Property Taxes (represents an average; individual property taxes vary by locality)
*Sales and Gross Receipts (different taxing entities may add to the state sales tax)
*Selective Sales Taxes (alcoholic beverages, amusements, insurance premiums, motor fuels, parimutuels, public utilities, tobacco products, and others)
*Licenses (alcoholic beverages, amusements, corporation, hunting and fishing, motor vehicles, motor vehicle operators, public utilities, occupation and business)
*Other Taxes (individual income, corporation net income, death and gift, documentary and stock transfer, severance, and others)

The data presented on the linked page that follows shows states ranked by tax burden as a percentage of income.  The taxes include those paid by individuals AND businesses to state and local governments.  Business are included because they usually pass their tax costs on to consumers.

The top five states where the tax burden as a percent of income is the highest are: New York (12.9%), Maine (12.3%), Ohio (11.3%). Hawaii (11.3%), Rhode Island (11.1%).  The United States average is 10.0%.  The District of Columbia is 12.9%.

The five states with the lowest tax burden as a percent of income are: Alaska (6.3%) 50th, New Hampshire (7.5%) 49th, Delaware (8.2%) 48th, Tennessee (8.5%) 47th, and Texas (8.7%) 46th.

Effective State and Local Tax Burdens by
State and Rank for Calendar Year 2004

Each state's tax burden represents a combination of state and local tax burdens.  The table that follows shows the effective state/local tax burdens as a percentage of income by state.  Ranking by state can be found in column 1.  Column 2 shows the tax burden as a percentage of income, column 3 is tax burden per capita, and column 4 shows income per capita.

New York  -  1  <=========  We're number one!!!  We are the greatest!!!  Please give us more taxes in 2005 so we stay on top.

………………

New Jersey  -  15  <=======  Hah, you guys in Joisey are only #15.  You better get movin' if you want to catch up to NY!!!

The top ten lowest tax burden states.

Alabama  -  41

South Dakota  -  42

South Carolina  -  43

Wyoming  -  44

Florida  -  45

Texas  -  46

Tennessee  -  47

Delaware  -  48

New Hampshire  -  49

Alaska  -  50

www.retirementliving.com/RLtaxburdens.html

Sucks to be us.......................................................................

Towelie says: "Do you wanna get high?" Me: Nah, I'm high enough.  

High income taxes

High sales taxes

High county taxes

High school taxes

High town property taxes

High utility costs

We're No. 1!!
We're No. 1!!
We're No. 1!!
We're No. 1!!
We're No. 1!!
We're No. 1!!
We're No. 1!!

                       

NJ has the 2nd highest per capita income of the 50 states so even though your tax burden is high it lowers your ranking vs. other states with lower income levels.

Taxes are good they help the poor people and stuff!

Quoted: NJ has the highest per capita income of the 50 states so even though your tax burden is high it lowers your ranking vs. other states with lower income levels.

Sorry, CT beats you guys by more than 3k/yr.  Whoo Hoo - We're number 9!

And we also have an AWB with no sunset!!!  What a state!  I can't wait to f!@#ing leave NY next year.  Narrowed it down to PA or CO.  

Quoted: Quoted: NJ has the highest per capita income of the 50 states so even though your tax burden is high it lowers your ranking vs. other states with lower income levels. Sorry, CT beats you guys by more than 3k/yr.  Whoo Hoo - We're number 9!

Thanks for the correction.  I was so excited at being #1 at something I got dizzy and missed it.

Quoted:Thanks for the correction.  I was so excited at being #1 at something I got dizzy and missed it.

NP.  And an apology from me making an assumption that you were from NJ.  That wasn't right, on my part...

Hopefully, we can keep all the socialists elected in CT so we can at least get into the Top 3.

Thanks dude, I needed that.

#6 here..

Veto Jim Doyle, 2006

Quoted: We're No. 1!! We're No. 1!! We're No. 1!! We're No. 1!! We're No. 1!! We're No. 1!! We're No. 1!!

+1