How does West Virginia’s tax code compare? West Virginia has a graduated state individual income tax, with rates ranging from 2.36 percent to 5.12 percent. There are also jurisdictions that collect local income taxes. West Virginia has a 6.5 percent corporate income tax rate. West Virginia also has a 6.00 percent state sales tax rate and an average combined state and local sales tax rate of 6.57 percent. West Virginia has a 0.55 percent effective property tax rate on owner-occupied housing value.
West Virginia does not have an estate tax or inheritance tax. West Virginia has a 35.7 cents per gallon gas tax rate and a $1.20 cigarette excise tax rate. The State of West Virginia collects $4,712 in state and local tax collections per capita. West Virginia has $9,574 in state and local debt per capita and has a 93 percent funded ratio of public pension plans. West Virginia’s tax system ranks 23rd overall on the 2025 State Tax Competitiveness Index.
Each state’s tax code is a multifaceted system with many moving parts, and West Virginia is no exception. The first step towards understanding West Virginia’s tax code is knowing the basics. How does West Virginia collect tax revenue? Click the tabs below to learn more! You can also explore our state tax maps, which are compiled from our annual publication, Facts & Figures 2024: How Does Your State Compare?
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The State Tax Competitiveness Index enables policymakers, taxpayers, and business leaders to gauge how their states’ tax systems compare. While there are many ways to show how much state governments collect in taxes, the Index evaluates how well states structure their tax systems and provides a road map for improvement.
115 min read
Facts & Figures serves as a one-stop state tax data resource that compares all 50 states on over 40 measures of tax rates, collections, burdens, and more.
2 min read
Tax burdens rose across the country as pandemic-era economic changes caused taxable income, activities, and property values to rise faster than net national product. Tax burdens in 2020, 2021, and 2022 are all higher than in any other year since 1978.
24 min read
Individual income taxes are a major source of state government revenue, accounting for more than a third of state tax collections. How do income taxes compare in your state?
8 min read
Graduated corporate rates are inequitable—that is, the size of a corporation bears no necessary relation to the income levels of the owners.
7 min read
Retail sales taxes are an essential part of most states’ revenue toolkits, responsible for 32 percent of state tax collections and 13 percent of local tax collections (24 percent of combined collections).
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25 min read
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5 min read
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6 min read
Consumers legally wagered more than $100 billion on sporting contests in 2023, creating more than $1.8 billion in state revenue. Sports betting is now legal in 38 states and DC, and the landscape is rapidly evolving.
18 min read
Recent data suggest that tax competitiveness plays a significant role in residents’ relocation decisions.
3 min read
Growing cigarette tax levels and differentials have made cigarette smuggling both a national problem and a lucrative criminal enterprise.
16 min read
In addition to the federal estate tax, with a top rate of 40 percent, 12 states and DC impose additional estate taxes, while six states levy inheritance taxes.
7 min read
Over 500 million premium cigars were sold in the United States in 2023. With each sale comes a complex tax landscape.
4 min read
Policymakers can and should address taxpayers’ legitimate grievances about out-of-control property tax bills, but they should do so without upending a system of taxation that is more efficient, fair, and pro-growth, and better suited to municipal finance, than any of the alternatives.
39 min read
The State Tax Competitiveness Index enables policymakers, taxpayers, and business leaders to gauge how their states’ tax systems compare. While there are many ways to show how much state governments collect in taxes, the Index evaluates how well states structure their tax systems and provides a road map for improvement.
115 min read