Delaware ranks 46th in the U.S. for most motor fuels taxes paid in 2024

Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long
Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long
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In 2024, Delaware collected $136.3 million in motor fuels sales taxes, placing it 46th among all U.S. states, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections (STC).

This marked a 2% increase from the $133.6 million generated in the previous year.

For comparison, California topped the national rankings in 2024, collecting $9.2 billion in motor fuels sales taxes.

The State Government Tax Collections (STC) survey tracks five major tax categories and up to 25 subcategories, gathering data from all 50 state governments and their dependent agencies.

The Census Bureau notes that it defines tax classifications consistently across states, which may differ from how individual states categorize them.

All figures in this article reflect taxes collected by state governments only, based on the STC. They do not include local taxes, such as most property taxes, which make up a significant portion of overall taxes paid by residents.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, state and local governments collect a wide range of taxes to fund public programs and services. These revenues are typically allocated to areas such as transportation, education, and public safety. In 2024, state tax collections alone amounted to nearly $1.5 trillion nationwide, representing a significant part of overall government operations.

The amount each state collects depends on its tax rates, bases, and policy priorities. In 2023, North Dakota topped the list with the largest state tax collection per capita at $7,715.71, followed by Hawaii ($7,098.72) and Vermont ($6,948.15), according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

U.S. Motor Fuels Sales Taxes by State in 2024
RankStateAmount
1California$9,238,349,000
2Texas$3,846,520,000
3Florida$3,519,818,000
4Pennsylvania$3,380,028,000
5Ohio$2,782,538,000
6Illinois$2,781,899,000
7North Carolina$2,491,257,000
8Virginia$1,872,635,000
9Georgia$1,759,944,000
10Indiana$1,733,059,000
11New York$1,598,546,000
12Washington$1,534,646,000
13Michigan$1,452,013,000
14Tennessee$1,273,899,000
15Maryland$1,248,840,000
16Wisconsin$1,095,905,000
17South Carolina$1,029,005,000
18Missouri$1,027,286,000
19Alabama$997,040,000
20Kentucky$905,611,000
21Arizona$891,325,000
22Minnesota$888,215,000
23Oregon$719,089,000
24Colorado$718,609,000
25Massachusetts$713,227,000
26Iowa$680,282,000
27Utah$643,143,000
28Louisiana$621,900,000
29Arkansas$618,053,000
30Oklahoma$593,226,000
31Connecticut$559,741,000
32Kansas$458,281,000
33Mississippi$452,748,000
34West Virginia$445,055,000
35New Jersey$425,342,000
36Nebraska$415,358,000
37Nevada$394,968,000
38Idaho$392,848,000
39New Mexico$318,302,000
40Montana$288,187,000
41Maine$246,826,000
42South Dakota$197,954,000
43North Dakota$189,354,000
44New Hampshire$178,334,000
45Rhode Island$150,733,000
46Delaware$136,253,000
47Vermont$122,874,000
48Wyoming$118,489,000
49Hawaii$80,796,000
50Alaska$45,770,000
Information in this story was obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections (STC). The source data can be found here.



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