The Great Tax Debate: California Vs Texas, Who Pays More?

For as long as most of us can remember, California and Texas have been rivals for whatever reason. Most recently, the rivalry turned into a battle of whose taxes suck less. People and news outlets on both sides of the issue chimed in with their analysis of the data and it became a giant muddled mess. So, the question still stands, who pays more in taxes?

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Taxes In Texas VS California; Who Pays Most?

Taxes are confusing and are generally considered to be a government-mandated pain in the neck for most of us. Add to that the double speak of political theater and you have a recipe for brain-melting frustration. This is exactly what has happened when it comes to the argument of taxes in Texas and California.

Depending on how a person wants to spin the story, they'll focus on certain percentages and massage the details to give the desired truth. It really makes looking up this type of information difficult.

Some sources say that Texas does pay more than California and they prove this by looking at percentages and averages spread across different income levels. Others, like Fox News, say not so fast and point to other percentages and averages.

Why Can't It Be Easier To Figure Out If California Or Texas Pays More In Taxes?

Who pays more in taxes depends on who you ask. One news source points to property taxes as being the eventual deciding factor. It's definitely something you need to look at. Texas doesn't have a state income tax, which many people look at as an instant "raise" when moving from a state that does. But that tax money has to be made up somewhere, right?

When you add property taxes to the equation, some say that Texas actually winds up taxing its citizens more. If you don't, then some say it's California that is taxing more.

This question should be easier to answer, but as is the case with anything related to the government, it's convoluted and it seems like it's needlessly complicated. One thing we can all agree on, though, is that paying taxes sucks.