Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau released state and local fiscal data for fiscal year 2023. This data allows us to compare taxes and spending in Washington to other states. The two main ways to make these comparisons are to measure taxes and spending on a per capita basis and as a share of personal income.

According to the new data, state and local taxes per capita in Washington grew by 4.4% in fiscal year 2023, to $7,786. Nationally, state and local taxes per capita declined by 0.7% in 2023. Washington’s state and local taxes per capita ranked 14^th highest in the country.

State and local spending per capita in Washington increased 8.4%, to $13,934, the 15^th highest in the country.

Washington has the nation’s eighth highest personal income per capita. As a result, our rankings are lower when measuring taxes and spending as a share of personal income. In 2023, Washington’s state and local taxes as a share of personal income were 9.9%, which ranked 28^th highest. Our state and local spending as a share of personal income was 17.7%, the 33^rd highest.

Because of the data lag, it will be several years before the historically large tax increases adopted this year show up in the Census data.