A pack of cigarettes in Pennsylvania can cost shoppers close $10 or more these days.
And the price only seems to go up.
But did you know that while the Pennsylvania cigarette tax is high, it’s not the highest in the US. However, it’s far from the lowest tax rate on a pack of cigarettes.
Pennsylvania Cigarette Tax 2020
Every time you buy a pack of cigarettes in Pennsylvania, you’re paying the state an extra $2.60 in tax. That doesn’t include the 6% sales tax imposed on any non-essential products. In Allegheny County, cigarettes are subject to an additional 1% sales tax. In Philadelphia County, there’s an extra 2% sales tax imposed.
Pennsylvania last revised its cigarette tax on Aug. 1, 2016.
The Pennsylvania cigarette tax gets imposed on sales on both pre-rolled cigarettes and little cigars. Products like cigars, roll-your-own tobacco products, and vape supplies (e-cigarettes) are not subject to the cigarette tax.
At $2.60, Pennsylvania has the 12th highest cigarette tax in the United States (including the District of Columbia). And the Keystone State is 1 of 20 states with a cigarette tax rate of at least $2.
What Does the Pennsylvania Cigarette Tax Fund?
According to the Pennsylvania Dept. of Revenue, the state’s cigarette tax funds children’s healthcare and preserving farmland.
In 2019, the Pennsylvania cigarette tax contributed $30.73 million to the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). And the tax also contributed $25.49 million in revenue to the Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Fund.
Cigarette Taxes by State in 2020
The District of Columbia has the highest cigarette tax rate at $4.50 per pack.
Connecticut and New York share the honor of the states with the highest cigarette tax at $4.35 per pack. Rhode Island imposes $4.25 per pack on a pack of smokes.
If you’re looking for states with the lowest cigarette tax, look to the South and Midwest. In 2020, Missouri has the lowest cigarette tax at just 17 cents. Virginia only imposes a 30-cent tax on a pack of cigarettes. Georgia’s cigarette tax is 37 cents. A total of 14 states have a cigarette tax of less than $1.
Check out our table below to see the cigarette taxes by state in 2020:
Cigarette Taxes by State 2020
How much tax does each state place on a pack of 20 cigarettes?| State | Tax per pack |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $ 4.50 |
| Connecticut | $ 4.35 |
| New York | $ 4.35 |
| Rhode Island | $ 4.25 |
| Massachusetts | $ 3.51 |
| Hawaii | $ 3.20 |
| Vermont | $ 3.08 |
| Minnesota | $ 3.04 |
| Washington | $ 3.025 |
| California | $ 2.87 |
| New Jersey | $ 2.70 |
| Pennsylvania | $ 2.60 |
| Wisconsin | $ 2.52 |
| Delaware | $ 2.10 |
| Oklahoma | $ 2.03 |
| Alaska | $ 2.00 |
| Arizona | $ 2.00 |
| Maine | $ 2.00 |
| Maryland | $ 2.00 |
| Michigan | $ 2.00 |
| Illinois | $ 1.98 |
| Nevada | $ 1.80 |
| New Hampshire | $ 1.78 |
| Montana | $ 1.70 |
| Utah | $ 1.70 |
| New Mexico | $ 1.66 |
| Ohio | $ 1.60 |
| South Dakota | $ 1.53 |
| Texas | $ 1.41 |
| Iowa | $ 1.36 |
| Florida | $ 1.339 |
| Oregon | $ 1.33 |
| Kansas | $ 1.29 |
| West Virginia | $ 1.20 |
| Arkansas | $ 1.15 |
| Kentucky | $ 1.10 |
| Louisiana | $ 1.08 |
| Indiana | $ 0.995 |
| Colorado | $ 0.84 |
| Mississippi | $ 0.68 |
| Alabama | $ 0.675 |
| Nebraska | $ 0.64 |
| Tennessee | $ 0.62 |
| Wyoming | $ 0.60 |
| Idaho | $ 0.57 |
| South Carolina | $ 0.57 |
| North Carolina | $ 0.45 |
| North Dakota | $ 0.44 |
| Georgia | $ 0.37 |
| Virginia | $ 0.30 |
| Missouri | $ 0.17 |
[faq group=cigarette-taxes-by-state style=accordion]
Image: License purchased via Depositphotos.com
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