States where taxes hit hardest
Where does your state rank?
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NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- As the economic downturn continues to weigh on Americans' savings, state governments are worried about their purse strings, too.
Falling home prices and rising unemployment are hurting states' revenue from property, income, and sales tax collections. To combat the shortfall, many states - including Massachusetts and California - are considering cutting back on tax credits, said Kathleen Thies, analyst at CCH.
Each year, the Tax Foundation, a policy research group, estimates the average taxpayer's total state and local tax burden in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The data below are from August 2008, the latest available.
Alaska often takes top honors as the most tax-friendly to residents. It has no state sales tax, no income tax and the government annually sends residents a refund because of the excess revenue it collects from companies extracting oil from the state.
And as is often the case, taxpayers who pay the most live in the Northeast - New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. (see 'Big City' rankings) 
| Rank | State | Income (per capita) | State and local taxes (per capita) | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $56,116 | $6,610 | 11.8% |
| 2 | New York | $55,032 | $6,419 | 11.7% |
| 3 | Connecticut | $63,160 | $7,007 | 11.1% |
| 4 | Maryland | $52,709 | $5,669 | 10.8% |
| 5 | Hawaii | $46,512 | $4,920 | 10.6% |
| 6 | California | $47,706 | $5,028 | 10.5% |
| 7 | Ohio | $38,925 | $4,049 | 10.4% |
| 8 | Vermont | $42,626 | $4,410 | 10.3% |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $70,730 | $7,308 | 10.3% |
| 9 | Wisconsin | $40,953 | $4,194 | 10.2% |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $44,463 | $4,533 | 10.2% |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $43,796 | $4,463 | 10.2% |
| 12 | Minnesota | $46,106 | $4,688 | 10.2% |
| 13 | Idaho | $36,492 | $3,670 | 10.1% |
| 14 | Arkansas | $33,395 | $3,351 | 10.0% |
| 15 | Maine | $38,309 | $3,835 | 10.0% |
| 16 | Georgia | $37,850 | $3,735 | 9.9% |
| 17 | Nebraska | $40,499 | $3,983 | 9.8% |
| 18 | Virginia | $47,666 | $4,669 | 9.8% |
| 19 | Oklahoma | $38,415 | $3,761 | 9.8% |
| 20 | North Carolina | $37,508 | $3,663 | 9.8% |
| 21 | Kansas | $40,784 | $3,911 | 9.6% |
| 22 | Utah | $35,971 | $3,446 | 9.6% |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $56,661 | $5,377 | 9.5% |
| 24 | Delaware | $44,889 | $4,253 | 9.5% |
| 25 | Kentucky | $34,339 | $3,243 | 9.4% |
| 26 | Oregon | $39,444 | $3,719 | 9.4% |
| 27 | Michigan | $39,273 | $3,694 | 9.4% |
| 28 | Indiana | $37,279 | $3,502 | 9.4% |
| 29 | West Virginia | $32,145 | $3,000 | 9.3% |
| 30 | Illinois | $46,693 | $4,346 | 9.3% |
| 31 | Iowa | $38,636 | $3,589 | 9.3% |
| 32 | Missouri | $38,084 | $3,508 | 9.2% |
| 33 | North Dakota | $39,612 | $3,637 | 9.2% |
| 34 | Colorado | $48,300 | $4,359 | 9.0% |
| 35 | Washington | $48,574 | $4,334 | 8.9% |
| 36 | Mississippi | $31,836 | $2,834 | 8.9% |
| 37 | South Carolina | $35,419 | $3,127 | 8.8% |
| 38 | Alabama | $36,372 | $3,144 | 8.6% |
| 39 | New Mexico | $36,031 | $3,114 | 8.6% |
| 40 | Montana | $36,793 | $3,158 | 8.6% |
| 41 | Arizona | $38,174 | $3,244 | 8.5% |
| 42 | Louisiana | $39,116 | $3,286 | 8.4% |
| 43 | Texas | $42,796 | $3,580 | 8.4% |
| 44 | Tennessee | $38,090 | $3,160 | 8.3% |
| 45 | South Dakota | $39,103 | $3,079 | 7.9% |
| 46 | New Hampshire | $48,033 | $3,642 | 7.6% |
| 47 | Florida | $46,293 | $3,441 | 7.4% |
| 48 | Wyoming | $53,163 | $3,714 | 7.0% |
| 49 | Nevada | $49,371 | $3,245 | 6.6% |
| 50 | Alaska | $44,872 | $2,871 | 6.4% |
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