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By Rivan V. Stinson, Associate Online Editor | September 20, 2019Updated October 28, 2019
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For those of us who usually drive, seeing the price of gas on any given day can either make us want to take the long way home or wish we had access to public transportation. The state you live in (or, buy gas in) can affect how much you feel that cruising feeling, thanks to fuel taxes.
For instance, Virginia residents pay just $0.2195 a gallon. That’s 14.75 cents less than their Maryland neighbors. For someone who drives 12,000 miles a year in a car that averages 25 miles per gallon, for example, that’s a savings of $70.80 a year.
Here are the 10 states with the lowest gas taxes, along with a look at how these states fare on other big tax metrics, such as sales tax.
Gas and diesel prices are from the American Petroleum Institute. Sales taxes are from the Tax Foundation and represent a population-weighted value meant to capture local option taxes. Tobacco and vapor taxes are from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids as well as individual state tax websites.
State Fuel Tax: $0.2200 gasoline, $0.2050 diesel.
Average Sales Tax: 7.63%.
Tobacco Taxes:
Cigarettes: $0.84 per pack. Aspen adds $3.00 per pack.
Other tobacco products: 40% of the manufacturer's price
For details on other state taxes see the complete guide to taxes in Colorado.
State Fuel Tax: $0.2195 gasoline, $0.2602 diesel.
Average Sales Tax: 5.65%.
Cigarettes: $0.30 per pack. Additionally, some counties in Virginia add taxes of $0.50 - $0.85.
Cigars: 10% of the manufacturer's price
Snuff: $0.18 per ounce
Other tobacco products: 10% of the manufacturer's price
For details on other state taxes see the complete guide to taxes in Virginia.
State Fuel Tax: $0.2001 gasoline, $0.2001 diesel.
Average Sales Tax: 9.45%.
Cigarettes: $1.08 per pack
Cigars: 8% to 20% of manufacturer’s price
Snuff: 20% of the manufacturer's price
Other tobacco products: 20% of the manufacturer's price for smokeless tobacco, 33% of manufacturer’s price for smoking tobacco
E-cigarettes: $0.05 per milliliter of liquid
For details on other state taxes see the complete guide to taxes in Louisiana.
State Fuel Tax: $0.2000 gasoline, $0.2000 diesel.
Average Sales Tax: 8.19%.
Cigarettes: $1.41 per pack
Cigars: $0.01 to $0.15 per cigar, depending on weight
Snuff and chewing tobacco: $1.22 per ounce
For details on other state taxes see the complete guide to taxes in Texas.
Average Sales Tax: 8.94%.
Cigarettes: $2.03 per pack
Cigars: $0.04-$1.20 for 10 little cigars, $0.12 large cigars
Smoking tobacco: 80% of manufacturer's price
Chewing tobacco: 60% of manufacturer's price
For details on other state taxes see the complete guide to taxes in Oklahoma.
State Fuel Tax: $0.1900 gasoline, $0.2700 diesel.
Average Sales Tax: 8.39%.
Cigarettes: $2.00 per pack
Cigars: $0.22-$2.20 per to cigars
Smoking and chewing tobacco: $0.23 per ounce
For details on other state taxes see the complete guide to taxes in Arizona.
State Fuel Tax: $0.1888 gasoline, $0.2288 diesel.
Average Sales Tax: 7.82%.
Cigarettes: $1.66 per pack (unless bought in a carton with 25 packs; then it’s $2.08 per pack)
Other tobacco products: 25% of purchase price
Vapor products:$0.50 per cartridge for closed systems/12.5% of wholesale price on open containers of e-cigarette liquid
For details on other state taxes see the complete guide to taxes in New Mexico.
State Fuel Tax: $0.1879 gasoline, $0.1840 diesel.
Average Sales Tax: 7.07%.
Cigarettes: $0.68 per pack
Other tobacco products: 15% of the wholesale price
For details on other state taxes see the complete guide to taxes in Mississippi.
State Fuel Tax: $0.1742 gasoline, $0.1742 diesel.
Average Sales Tax: 8.14%.
Cigarettes: $0.17 per pack
Other tobacco products: 10% of wholesale price
For details on other state taxes see the complete guide to taxes in Missouri.
State Fuel Tax: $0.1432 gasoline, $0.1431 diesel.
Average Sales Tax: 1.76%.
Cigarettes: $2 per pack by the state. Many localities add steep taxes; Juneau's is $3 per pack.
Other tobacco products: 75% of the wholesale price
For details on other state taxes see the complete guide to taxes in Alaska.