Taxes in Wisconsin
Every state-level tax in Wisconsin, in one place—income, sales, property, corporate, estate, transfer, and excise taxes. Figures sourced from the IRS, U.S. Census Bureau, and Tax Foundation.
Wisconsin's most distinctive tax trait is how little it leans on beer: the state's beer tax ranks 49th out of 51, placing it near the very bottom nationally. For a resident or relocator, that single fact signals a state where alcohol-specific levies are unusually light, so anyone comparing places by the cost of a drink at the register will find Wisconsin an outlier. The ranking also hints at a broader pattern in how the state structures what it charges — favoring some revenue choices over others rather than uniformly taxing consumption. If low beverage taxes matter to your budget or business, Wisconsin stands apart from most of the country.
State income tax
7.65% 4 brackets · graduated.
Sales tax
The combined state + local sales tax rate is 5.72%. State rate 5.00% plus an average 0.72% local.
Estate & inheritance tax
Wisconsin imposes no state estate or inheritance tax—only the federal estate tax applies.
Real estate transfer tax
Wisconsin levies a transfer tax of 0.300% — Real estate transfer fee.
Cigarette Tax
Wisconsin levies a cigarette tax of $2.52 per pack of 20. Federal excise adds $1.01 per pack.
Gas Tax
Wisconsin levies a gas tax of 32.90¢ per gallon. Federal excise adds 18.4¢ per gallon. Excludes local taxes and environmental/carbon-related costs.
Beer Tax
Wisconsin levies a beer tax of $0.065 per gallon. Federal excise adds $0.113–$0.581 per gallon depending on brewery size.
Wine Tax
Wisconsin levies a wine tax of $0.250 per gallon. Federal excise adds $1.07 per gallon (11% still wine). MS, NH, PA, UT, WY are control states with no published excise rate.
Spirits Tax
Wisconsin levies a spirits tax of $3.250 per gallon. Federal excise adds $5.40 per gallon (40% ABV). NH and WY are control states with an effective $0.00 rate.
Property tax by county
The state's median county effective property tax rate is 1.36%. Compare counties below for local rates.
Counties in Wisconsin by property tax rate
| County | Effective rate | Median home value |
|---|---|---|
| Menominee County | 3.56% | $110,200 |
| Milwaukee County | 1.93% | $230,700 |
| Racine County | 1.63% | $251,400 |
| Winnebago County | 1.63% | $225,800 |
| Dane County | 1.63% | $394,800 |
| Green County | 1.60% | $250,200 |
| Rock County | 1.60% | $231,600 |
| Kenosha County | 1.57% | $265,500 |
| Lafayette County | 1.57% | $194,500 |
| Crawford County | 1.56% | $183,400 |
| Trempealeau County | 1.56% | $216,700 |
| La Crosse County | 1.54% | $257,000 |
| Wood County | 1.54% | $175,600 |
| Iowa County | 1.52% | $265,000 |
| Fond du Lac County | 1.51% | $222,800 |
| Dodge County | 1.48% | $231,900 |
| Juneau County | 1.47% | $177,700 |
| Marathon County | 1.47% | $219,600 |
| Jefferson County | 1.46% | $274,100 |
| Sauk County | 1.45% | $258,600 |
| Clark County | 1.45% | $172,800 |
| Manitowoc County | 1.44% | $186,900 |
| Kewaunee County | 1.44% | $222,200 |
| Portage County | 1.44% | $243,100 |
| Ashland County | 1.42% | $170,300 |
| Calumet County | 1.41% | $274,200 |
| Taylor County | 1.39% | $197,100 |
| Sheboygan County | 1.39% | $232,700 |
| Dunn County | 1.39% | $243,200 |
| Jackson County | 1.39% | $196,100 |