Louisiana’s sales tax rate is second highest in the nation

BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana no longer has the highest average sales tax rate in the nation, but only barely.

Tennessee has narrowly edged out Louisiana for the top spot with an average state and local combined sales tax rate of 9.46 per cent.

That’s according to the latest data available from the nonpartisan, conservative Tax Foundation, which shows Louisiana falls a hair behind at 9.45 per cent.

Louisiana previously had the top average combined rate, but the state sales tax slightly declined July 1.

Louisiana’s state sales tax had been slated to decrease from 5 per cent to 4 per cent. But state lawmakers in their last special session renewed 0.45 per cent of the expiring temporary tax to avert steep cuts to college campuses and government-financed programs. The state’s sales tax rate now is 4.45 per cent.