Cell phone taxes and fees reach all-time high, here are the worst states

Tax policy experts from KSE Partners have spent five years collecting data about federal, state and local taxes in your cell phone bill.

On average north of 16% of your bill from AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile goes to taxes and fees, compared to 7.4% for other goods for taxation. This rate has climbed up three times faster than the one on other goods and services in the three year period 2007-2010, since the financial crisis hit, and now we have an all-time high percentage of taxes and fees collected with our monthly bills.

The states with the highest rate are: 1. Nebraska: 23.69%, 2. Washington: 23%, 3. New York: 22.83%, 4. Florida: 21.62%, 5. Illinois: 20.90%, 6. Rhode Island: 19.67%, 7. Missouri: 19.28%, 8. Pennsylvania: 19.13%, 9. Kansas: 18.39%, and 10. Texas: 17.48%

States that have the lowest wireless taxes and fee ratio are as follows: 1. Oregon: 6.86%, 2. Nevada: 7.13%, 3. Idaho: 7.25%, 4. Montana: 11.08%, 5. West Virginia: 11.28%, 6. Delaware: 11.30%, 7. Louisiana: 11.33%, 8. Virginia: 11.61%, 9. Alaska: 11.74%, 10. Connecticut: 12.01%.

via PCMag & KPAO

Get Visible as low as $20/mo for 1 year. Limited time offer with code: FRESHSTART

$20 /mo

$25

$5 off (20%)

Offer Ends 6.1.2026 at 11.59pm ET. New members get $5/mo off the $25/mg Visible plan, $35/mo Visible+ plan, or $45/mo Visible+ Pro plan for the first 12 months. Promo code FRESHSTART required at checkout.

Buy at Visible